Vascular dopamine receptors in the canine hindlimb.

1 Increases in femoral blood flow were produced by intra-arterial injections of dopamine (5-50 mug) in some but not all anaesthetized dogs studied, following treatment with the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, phentolamine. 2 The dilator effect of dopamine was not due to inhibition of adrenergic vasomotor tone as it was not affected by pharmacological procedures which completely abolished the activity of vastomotor nerves. 3 Blockade of vascular beta-adrenoceptors using propanolol reduced the flow increases produced by dopamine much less than it did those produced by isoprenaline. 4 Responses to dopamine were significantly depressed by intra-arterial administration of ergometrine (0.5 mg). This dose of ergometrine did not reduce femoral dilator responses to acetylcholine, histamine, isopienaline, bradykinin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine. 5 It is concluded that the femoral vascular bed in the dog contains specific vasodilator receptors for dopamine. Ergometrine appears to be a selective antagonist of dopamine at these receptors.