Gadolinium(III) chloride

Gadolinium(III) chloride is a preparation of the metal Gadolinium which is employed in various applications. Gadolinium(III) chloride provides a source of the Gd3+ ion which is described to be a mechanosensitive Ca2+ channel blocker, and the perpendicular orientation of human primary dermal fibroblasts was shown to be blocked by introduction of Gadolinium(III) chloride. The coronary vasodilation effects of the sesquiterpene compound Vulgarenol, suggested to involve inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and endothelial NOS overexpression, was antagonized by Gadolinium(III) chloride. Another study investigating decreased coronary vascular resistance imparted by Viscum album aqueous extract suggested a mechanism involving overexpression of NOS-2 and NOS-3, and Gadolinium(III) chloride was also used to antagonize this effect.