Abstract
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), in spite of its name, is synthesized and secreted in vertebrates by both the atria and the ventricles and also a number of extracardiac tissues. Likewise, the list of putative targets of ANP is large and includes, in addition to the kidney and vascular smooth muscle, the ion- and water-transporting intestine. Immunohistochemical staining of the intestine of the euryhaline marine goby Gillichthys mirabilis demonstrates the presence of ANP-ergic neurons in the submucosa suggesting paracrine delivery to intestinal epithelial and smooth muscle cells. ANP inhibits ion absorption across the goby intestine, supportingan osmoregulatory role for ANP.

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