Figure 5

Effect of L-citrulline and succinate on TSM relaxation after NOS blockage: EFS-induced relaxtion of TSM preparations obtained from room air-exposed rat pups was significanlty (p < 0.01) reduced by the addition of 100 μM L-NAME. The decrease in relaxation due to L-NAME was returned to normal levels by the addition of L-citrulline (2 mM). The argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) inhibitor – succinate (1 mM) prevented the capability of L-citulline to recover the diminished relaxation responces due to L-NAME. * Room air + L-NAME vs. Room air; § Room air + L-NAME + L-citrulline vs. Room air + L-NAME; † Room air + L-NAME + L-citrulline + succinate vs. Room air + L-NAME + L-citrulline. **p < 0.01; §p < 0.05; §§p < 0.01; †p < 0.05; ††p < 0.01. (n = 8 for each protocol of the experiments).