angiotensin

Term: angiotensin

 Literally meaning: “that which strains the vessel”

Origin: Anc Greek

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

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

> ταινία/taenia(=band, ribbon)

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 Inmdianapolis (USA) and the other in Buenos Aires(Argentine). The researchers (H Page and Eduardo Braun Menendez accordingly)  agreed finally to name it angiotensin instead of words of “hypertensin” or “angiotonin”.

Definition

Angiotensin is a decapeptide hormone that increases blood pressure by vasoconstriction and by releasing aldosterone hormone from the adrenal cortex. It is formed from glycoprotein angiotensinogen by renin (renin-angiotensin system).