Peroxynitrite is a potent oxidant that is quickly emerging as a crucial modulator of myocardial function. This review will focus on the regulation of myocardial contraction by peroxynitrite during health and disease, with a specific emphasis on cardiomyocyte Ca(2+) handling, proposed signaling pathways, and protein end-targets.
Keywords: Ca2+; cAMP-dependent protein kinase; myocyte; nitric oxide synthase; peroxynitrite; protein phosphatase 2a.