Nitric Oxide (NO)

Nitric oxide (NO), comprising nitrogen and oxygen atoms, is synthesized in the body from dietary sources of Arginine and nitrates, serving vital roles across diverse physiological systems. In vascular contexts, NO functions as an endothelium-derived relaxing factor, modulating vasodilation, inhibiting platelet aggregation, and regulating blood pressure and hemodynamics (Förstermann & Sessa, 2012, Circulation Research). Additionally, NO inhibits smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, regulates apoptosis, and maintains endothelial cell barrier function (Moncada & Higgs, 1993, The FASEB Journal). In the past decade, studies have further elucidated NO's multifaceted roles in both female and male reproductive systems, thereby establishing it as a molecule of significant regulatory importance (Herrera et al., 2010, Reproduction).