Vascular effects of insulin

Insulin affects the vascular tone through multiple and complex mechanisms involving both vasodilator and vasoconstrictor pathways (Fig. 1) that are further regulated by specific physiologic and pathologic conditions, including insulin resistance. Insulin receptors are present on both endothelial and smooth muscle cells. In the former, binding to the receptor leads to the activation of nitric oxide (NO) synthase and the release of prostaglandin...