Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), or atriopeptin, is a hormone secreted by heart muscle cells. It is involved in the homeostatic control of body water, sodium, potassium and fat. It is released by muscle cells in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart (atrial myocytes), in response to high blood pressure. It is closely related to brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP).
ANP was discovered in 1981 by a team in Ottawa led by Adolfo J. de Bold after they made the seminal observation that injection of atrial tissue extracts into rats caused copious natriuresis1.
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