angiotensinogen

Term: angiotensinogen

Literally meaning: “that which creates/produces  angiotensin”

Origin: Anc Greek

αγγείο/aggio (=vessel, receptacle) >  άγγος/aggos(=tube)

+τείνω/teino (=extend) >  τανύω/tanyo(=strain, stretch, extend) 

> ταινία/taenia(=band, ribbon)

+γεννώ/geno(= “produce”, “give birth to”, “create”) >γένεσις/genesis(=origin)

Coined/History

Finnish physiologist Robert Tigerstedt and his assistant Per Bergman in 1858 observed that extracts from renal cortex of rabbits had a pressor effect upon intravenous injection.  They named this substance renin, In 1958 the term “angiotensin” was given to active end product of the renin-angiotensin system by  two research groups on arterial pressure, one  in Indiapolis (USA) bh H Page and the other in Buenos Aires(Argentina) by Eduardo Braun Menendez. Αccording their results,  the Argentina group, demonstrated that renin could act on a protein present in the plasma in order to release angiotenin (which at first was named "hypertensin"). This proteic substrate was named angiotensinogen as was the actual precursor of the active principle.

Definition

Angiotensinogen is the precursor of angiotensin hormone. It is  serum glycoprotein (a2-globulin) formed in liver and it is hydrolysed into angiotensin by renin.