Innervation and responses to vasoactive drugs of the extrinsic uterine artery of the macaque.

The responses of isolated, perfused uterine arteries from two species of macaques to perivascular nerve stimulation and to vasoactive drugs have been compared with those previously obtained using similar preparations from men. Uterine arteries from nonpregnant monkeys exhibited dilator responses to nerve stimulation and to acetylcholine, and contained few, if any, beta-adrenoceptors. These properties are not shared by the uterine artery of man and cast doubt on the widely held premise that the physiological characteristics of sub-human primates are similar to those of humans.