Final answer:
Cells of the macula densa in the kidneys are responsible for controlling the amount of nitric oxide produced, which plays a role in regulating blood flow and the glomerular filtration rate through the release of paracrine signals to juxtaglomerular cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cells in the kidneys that can stimulate control of the amount of nitric oxide being produced are known as cells of the macula densa. These cells are located in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) and form part of the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA), which plays a critical role in regulating renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Macula densa cells sense the Na+ concentration of the forming urine and can trigger the release of paracrine signals such as adenosine, which affects the juxtaglomerular cells located in the afferent arteriole.
These juxtaglomerular cells can then contract or relax to modify renal blood flow, influencing the GFR. Additionally, they are responsible for the release of renin, which is part of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), a pathway crucial for blood pressure regulation.
Other cell types involved in this regulatory process include the mesangial cells, which are contractile and can regulate the rate at which blood is filtered through the glomeruli. Podocytes, which enwrap the capillary endothelial cells, and endothelial cells themselves, also play roles in filtration barrier maintenance but are not directly involved in controlling nitric oxide production.