Differential maturation of beta-adrenoceptor-mediated responses in the lamb fetus.

To study the functional maturity of beta-receptor-mediated responses, seven chronically catheterized lamb fetuses, 93-107 days of gestation, and seven fetuses, 116-134 days of gestation, received intravenous randomly sequenced infusions of isoproterenol (ISO) 0.03, 0.06, and 0.125 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 for 10 min separated by 45-min intervals or two saline infusions followed by 0.125 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 ISO after treatment with 0.5 mg/kg propranolol (PRO). Each fetus received the two treatments 24-48 h apart. In immature fetuses, plasma renin activity (PRA) of 2.0 +/- 0.7 ng.ml-1.h-1 did not change with either protocol. In mature fetuses, PRA of 7.5 +/- 2.5 ng.ml-1.h-1 increased two- to three-fold after the infusion of the highest two doses of ISO (P less than 0.003). Propranolol blocked this response. No significant changes were observed after the infusions of the lowest dose of ISO or saline. Both groups showed significant heart rate increases with all doses of ISO. Propranolol injection decreased heart rate significantly and blocked responses to ISO. We conclude that although a cardiac beta-receptor-mediated response is present by 93 days of gestation in the lamb fetus, a renal beta-receptor-mediated response, renin secretion, is absent.