Nitric oxide (NO) is a diffusible, transient, reactive molecule that has physiological effects in the picomolar-to-micromolar range. Acting through soluble guanylate cyclase activation, NO is an important physiological regulator of the cardiovascular, nervous, and immunological systems. NO is bio-available by two routes. It can be endogenously generated by constitutive or induced enzymes like Nitric Oxide Synthase, or it can be orally ingested as nitrates / nitrites for rapid uptake into circulation and subsequent conversion.
The reactive nature of nitric oxide allows it to act as a cytotoxic factor when released during an immune response by cells such as macrophages. The reactivity also allows NO to be easily converted to a toxic radical that can produce nitrosative damage to cells, organelles and molecules such as DNA. Nitrosylation however can be a regulated post-translational modification in cell signaling. The balance and dynamics of the regulatory/damage facets of NO are major forces in mitochondrial signaling and dysfunction. NO is linked not only to coronary heart disease, endothelial dysfunctions, erectile dysfunction, and neurological disorders, but also diabetes, chronic periodontitis, autism, cancer, and assorted age-related diseases.
ICT’s flexible Nitric Oxide Colorimetric Detection Kit offers two assay capabilities. The first assay allows you to quantitatively measure endogenous Nitrite. In the second assay, Nitrate is converted to Nitrite using Nitrate Reductase and Total Nitric Oxide is measured. Nitrate concentration can be calculated by performing both assays.
