Carbon dioxide as the regulator of vascular tone

Abstract

Carbon dioxide, as a mediator and metabolite, plays well-defined functions in the human body. Regulation of vascular tone is among them. In this review, we concentrated on mechanisms of CO2 influences the vascular tone depending on its concentration, some specificity of CO2 action in different regions of the circulatory system, age-related peculiarities, and under a variety of normal and pathological conditions of human body functioning. Finally, we highlighted controversial and unsolved issues that warranted further investigations.