Differences in postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptor populations between isolated cat urethra and various other isolated tissues.

This study was undertaken with the aim of determining whether the postsynaptic alpha-adrenergic receptor population of the cat urethra differed from that of other isolated tissues (rabbit aorta and rat vas deferens) and if so the possibility of selectively affect these receptors. For this purpose the substances 2-methylammonio-1-(spiro[cyclopentane-1,1'-indene]-3'-yl)ethanol (KABI 2023), noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (DA) were used. KABI 2023 and NA acted as full agonists on all three tissues investigated. DA was a full agonist on the vas deferens but was almost inactive on urethra. The contractile response of urethra to KABI 2023 was of an alpha-adrenergic nature, as it could be blocked with phentolamine. Compared with NA, KABI 2023 showed a 10 times higher selectivity for the receptors of urethra than for those of aorta. Affinity constants (log KB) for phentolamine and haloperidol with use of the various agonists were estimated. The affinity of phentolamine was found to be significantly different when using NA and KABI 2023 as agonists on the urethra but not on the aorta. Corresponding findings were obtained with haloperidol. On the vas deferens a greater difference in log KB values than that on the urethra was found. On the basis of the results, it is suggested that the population of postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptors in the urethra (cat) differs from that in the aorta (rabbit). On the vas deferens a heterogenicity of postsynaptic receptors seem to exist which makes the interpretation of the results more difficult on this organ. In the presence of phentolamine and haloperidol the maximum responses to NA were potentiated on the aorta and vas deferens, but not on the urethra. Investigations to evaluate this difference are now in progress.