FIGURE 1.

Renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in health and disease. Ang II, being the key molecule, can mediate AT1R‐mediated harmful events. ACE2 can balance the effect of excess Ang II by catalysing it to Ang 1–7. ACE2 can also catalyse Ang I in two‐step process to produce Ang 1–7. Different derivatives of Ang II can confer protective role through AT2R, AT4R, MasR and MrgD receptors. Amino acid configuration of major peptides in the RAS system are shown inset. ACE, angiotensin‐converting enzyme; ACE2, angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2; Ang I, angiotensin I; Ang II, angiotensin II; AT1R, angiotensin II receptor type I; AT2R, angiotensin II receptor type II; AT4R, angiotensin IV receptor; MasR, Mas receptor; MrgD, Mas‐related G protein‐coupled receptor D