Expansion On The Recent Discoveries Concerning Nitric Oxide

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Term Paper Title	Expansion On The Recent Discoveries Concerning Nitric Oxide
# of Words	1158
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	4.63

Expansion on the Recent Discoveries Concerning Nitric Oxide

Expansion on the Recent Discoveries Concerning Nitric Oxide

as presented by Dr. Jack R. Lancaster

     Nitric Oxide, or NO, its chemical representation, was until recently not
considered to be of any benefit to the life processes of animals, much less
human beings.  However, studies have proven that this simple compound had an
abundance of uses in the body, ranging from the nervous system to the
reproductive system.  Its many uses are still being explored, and it is hoped
that it can play an active role in the cures for certain types of cancers and
tumors that form in the brain and other parts of the body.
     Nitric Oxide is not to be confused with nitrous oxide, the latter of
which is commonly known as laughing gas. Nitric oxide has one more electron than
the anesthetic.  NO is not soluble in water.  It is a clear gas.  When NO is
exposed to air, it mixes with oxygen, yielding nitrogen IV dioxide, a brown gas
which is soluble in water.  These are just a few of the chemical properties of
nitric oxide. With the total life expectancy of nitric oxide being from six to
ten seconds, it is not surprising that it has not been until recently that it
was discovered in the body.  The compound is quickly converted into nitrates and
nitrites by oxygen and water.  Yet even its short-lived life, it has found many
functions within the body.  Nitric oxide enables white blood cells to kill tumor
cells and bacteria, and it allows neurotransmitters to dilate blood vessels.  It
also serves as a messenger for neurons, like a neurotransmitter.  The compound
is also accountable for penile erections.  Further experiments may lead to its
use in memory research and for the treatment of certain neurodegenerative
disorders. One of the most exciting discoveries of nitric oxide involves its
function in the brain.  It was first discovered that nitric oxide played a role
in the nervous system in 1982.  Small amounts of it prove useful in the opening
of calcium ion channels (with glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter) sending
a strong excitatory impulse.  However, in larger amounts, its effects are quite
harmful.  The channels are forced to fire more rapidly, which can kill the cells.
This is the cause of  most strokes. To find where nitric oxide is found in the
brain, scientists used a purification method from a tissue sample of the brain.
One scientist discovered that the synthesis of nitric oxide required the
presence of ca...

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