High level of alpha2-adrenoceptor in rat foetal liver and placenta is due to alpha2B-subtype expression in haematopoietic cells of the erythrocyte lineage.

ABSTRACT: 1. Rat foetal liver contains large amounts of alpha2-adrenoceptors. The present work aimed to identify the receptor subtype and the cell type accounting for high expression and to clarify the mechanisms responsible for the sharp decrease in hepatic receptivity occurring during the late stage of foetal development. 2. Binding experiments indicated that the density of alpha2-adrenoceptors in the foetal liver (embryonic day 18; 615+/-155 fmol mg(-1) of protein) is 18 fold higher than in newborn or adult (35.2+/-4.3 fmol mg(-1)). A high amount of receptor is also found in the placenta (443+/-53 fmol mg(-1)). In both tissues, the rank order of antagonists to inhibit radioligand binding matched the pharmacological profile of the alpha2B-adrenoceptor and exclusively RNG transcripts were detected

SUBMITTER: Cussac D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1621155 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature