FIG. 6.

Fractional change in steady-state concentrations of nitrite in organs from eNOS^−/− mice maintained on a low-NOx diet, with and without additional NOS inhibition. All values are expressed relative to those found in the same organs of wild-type (WT) animals fed a standard rodent chow, and plotted against total tissue mitochondrial inner surface area (data from Reference 15) for each organ; closed symbols: eNOS^−/− on low NOX diet; open symbols: eNOS^−/− on low NOX diet plus L-NIO. Inset: Correlation between mitochondrial inner surface area and nitrite depletion, expressed as percent of control levels in wild-type mice, following removal of all currently known endogenous and exogenous supplies of nitrite (r²=0.989, excluding the kidney).