Role of nitrite and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hypoxic vasodilation – proposed mechanism.

<p>Nitrite derives from NO^• synthesis dietary sources. NO^• to nitrite reactions occur by autoxidation or by reaction with ceruloplasmin (CP). Under hypoxia, nitrite levels in the vessel wall are increased. Nitrite can then be reduced to vasodilatory NO^• particularly by reaction with myoglobin (Mb). ROS modulate this response.