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Alpha-adrenergic reactivity of the microcirculation in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats

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Biochemistry of Signal Transduction in Myocardium

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine the functional distribution of α1- and α2-adrenoceptors in the striated muscle microcirculation. Experiments were performed in intact conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) that were provided with a dorsal microcirculatory chamber to allow microvascular diameter measurements. Administration of selective α1- and α2-agonists, phenylephrine and azepexole, respectively, induced different patterns of microvascular constriction, α1-Adrenoceptor stimulation showed a preferential constriction of large arteries and venules. The entire arteriolar microvasculature was sensitive to α2-adrenoceptor stimulation, whereas the venular vessels did not respond to azepexole. The selective α1- and α2-antagonists prazosin and yohimbine showed patterns of vasodilator activity comparable to those of the corresponding agonists. The specificity of the drug-induced effects was verified by comparing their effects with those of graded hemorrhage, a non-pharmacological method for blood pressure lowering. In the range of blood pressure decreases comparable to that obtained by α-adrenoceptor antagonists, graded hemorrhage did not influence microvascular diameters. These results show a differential functional distribution of α1- and α2-adrenoceptors along the microvascular tree in striated muscle of conscious SHR.

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© 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Struijker-Boudier, H.A.J., Messing, M.W.J., van Essen, H. (1996). Alpha-adrenergic reactivity of the microcirculation in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats. In: Lamers, J.M.J., Verdouw, P.D. (eds) Biochemistry of Signal Transduction in Myocardium. Developments in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, vol 17. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1275-8_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1275-8_31

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8544-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-1275-8

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