Clinical aspects of c-type natriuretic peptide on the cardiovascular system

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is one of the three most important members of the human natriuretic peptide family, sharing with them a highly conserved 17-aminoacid ring structure, essential to elicit its biological actions by binding to its specific receptor NPR-B. CNP acts in a paracrine or autocrine way and it is cleared from plasma circulation by the NPR-C receptor. This is one of the reasons why its plasma levels are usually low.