Definition: A potent natriuretic and vasodilatory peptide or mixture of different-sized low molecular weight PEPTIDES derived from a common precursor and secreted mainly by the HEART ATRIUM. All these peptides share a sequence of about 20 AMINO ACIDS.
cardiodilatin [ CDD-ANP-99-126,cardiodilation-atrial natriuretic peptide ] polypeptide hormone from various vertebrate hearts, regulates smooth muscle function; synthesized as a preprohormone of 149-153 amino acids (=atrial natriuretic factor precursors); released as a 28-am