[1][10] There are three isoforms of the peptide (identified as ET-1, 2, 3), each encoded by a separate gene, with varying regions of expression and binding to at least four known endothelin receptors, ETA, ETB1, ETB2 and ETC.

[2] The two types of ET receptor are distributed across diverse cells and organs, but with different levels of expression and activity, indicating a multiple-organ ET system.

[13] Endothelin also has roles in mitogenesis, cell survival, angiogenesis, bone growth, nociceptor function, and cancer onset mechanisms.

Studies have shown that endothelin-2 plays a significant role in ovarian physiology and could impact the pathophysiology of heart failure, immunology, and cancer.

[1] Endothelin receptors are present in the three pituitary lobes[15] which display increased metabolic activity when exposed to ET-1 in the blood or ventricular system.

[18] The ubiquitous distribution of endothelin peptides and receptors implicates involvement in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes among different organ systems.

[23] In preliminary research, injection of endothelin-1 into a lateral cerebral ventricle was shown to potently stimulate glucose metabolism in specified interconnected circuits of the brain, and to induce convulsions, indicating its potential for diverse neural effects in conditions such as epilepsy.