ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with Nitric Oxide (NO) as it affects intestinal mucosal function. Chemiluminescence techniques can detect NO directly in the gaseous phase. Extracting NO from a biological solution before it is oxidized is fraught with problems. The importance of nitric oxide as a regulator of gut function was quickly appreciated by investigators addressing the neural control of motility. It is well established that NO is a neurotransmitter of the nonadrenergic, noncholinergic component of the enteric nervous system. Nitric oxide is a mediator of sphincter relaxation in the gastrointestinal tract. A genetic knockout strain of mice devoid of localized to neuronal has recently been developed. Transition metals have been discussed as a potential site of interaction for acute injury and may also be key sites of interactions in chronic gut inflammation and repair. Nitric oxide is thought to reduce cellular Fe levels by binding and leaching processes, which compromises cellular respiration and replication.
