VIP

Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (28 aa)

VIP — vasoactive intestinal peptide — is a 28-amino-acid messenger first isolated from lung tissue in 1970 and found throughout the nervous system, gut, heart, and immune organs. Its structure has been remarkably conserved across animal species, a sign of how fundamental its roles are. It sits at the crossroads of three systems studied with interest: it relaxes blood vessels and airways, helps regulate immune balance, and acts as a neurotransmitter.