Angiotensin actions in the kidney: Renewed insight into the old hormone

Since the recognition of its potent vasoconstrictor action in the renal circulation, angiotensin II (Ang II) has several times come into the forefront in the nephrology community by revealing new biological actions which are seemingly unrelated to any of its previously recognized actions. Many of these actions have now been extensively studied (Table 1). Of interest, also, are its non-renal actions which are now known to be similarly rich in variety, thanks to extensive investigations on the central nervous and other organ systems