Dopamine receptors and dopaminergic nerves in the vas deferens of the rat.

Phentolamine antagonized competitively the effects of noradrenaline (pA2 = 7.1), dopamine (pA2 = 8.0) and tyramine (pA2 = 8.2). Haloperidol had a pA2 value of 7.3 against dopamine and 6.5 against noradrenaline. Apomorphine antagonized competitively dopamine (pA 2 = 4.8) and tyramine (pA2 = 5.1) and noncompetitively antagonized noradrenaline (pD'2 = 3.6). From these data it is concluded that these antagonists interact with dopamine receptors and alpha-adrenergic receptors. Apomorphine (10-4 M) attenuated the maximal response to dopamine and field stimulation, whereas the same concentration of apomorphine potentiated the maximal response to noradrenaline. Assuming that tyramine and field stimulation release the naturally occurring neurohumoral transmitter from adrenergic nerve endings, it is concluded that dopamine is the physiologically functional neurohumoral transmitter in the rat vas deferens which, when released, stimulates specific dopamine receptors.