Atrial natriuretic polypeptide in brain--implication of central cardiovascular control.

Biologically active peptides isolated in the peripheral organs often distribute in the central nervous system and vice versa. Accumulating evidence supports the concept that the effects of centrally active peptides are often, although not always, complementary to their peripheral actions. Atrial natriuretic polypeptide (ANP) is one of these biologically active peptides. Evidence presented here indicates that ANP is involved in the cardiovascular control as a neuropeptide in the central nervous system as well as a circulating hormone in the periphery.