cap alpha. -2 adrenergic receptor: a radiohistochemical study

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6028766

Unnerstall, J R

..cap alpha..-2 adrenergic agents have been shown to influence blood pressure, heart rate and other physiological and behavioral functions through interactions with adrenergic pathways within the central nervous system. Pharmacologically relevant ..cap alpha..-1 adrenergic receptors were biochemically characterized and radiohistochemically analyzed in intact tissue sections of the rat and human central nervous system. The anatomical distribution of the ..cap alpha..-2 receptors, labeled with the agonist (/sup 3/H)para-aminoclonidine, verified the concept that ..cap alpha..-2 receptors are closely associated with adrenergic nerve terminals and that ..cap alpha..-2 agents can influence autonomic and endocrine function through an action in the central nervous system. Since ..cap alpha..-2 agonists can influence sympathetic outflow, ..cap alpha..-2 binding sites were closely analyzed in the intermediolateral cell column of the thoracic spinal cord. The transport of putative presynaptic ..cap alpha..-2 binding sites in the rat sciatic nerve was analyzed by light microscopic radiohistochemical techniques. Finally, in intact tissue section of the rat central nervous system, the biochemical characteristics of (/sup 3/H)rauwolscine binding were analyzed. Data were also shown which indicates that the synthetic ..cap alpha..-2 antagonist (/sup 3/H)RX781094 also binds to ..cap alpha..-2 receptors with high-affinity. Further, the distribution of (/sup 3/H)RX781094 binding sites in the rat central nervous system was identical to the distribution seen when using (/sup 3/H)para-aminoclonidine.

• Research Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6028766
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
551001 -- Physiological Systems-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ANIMALS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
BIOCHEMISTRY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHEMISTRY
DISTRIBUTION
DRUGS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
MAN
NERVOUS SYSTEM
PHARMACOLOGY
PRIMATES
RADIORECEPTOR ASSAY
RATS
RECEPTORS
RODENTS
SYMPATHOMIMETICS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES