Direct evidence for absence of beta-adrenergic receptors in rat cerebral vessels histochemical study with a fluorescent beta-blocker.
A fluorescent marker for beta-adrenergic receptor sites, 9-amino-acridin propranolol (9-AAP), was administered intravenously to rats. In contrast to other tissues which are known to contain beta-adrenergic receptors, 9-AAP fluorescence was not observed in the walls of the pial as well as parenchymal cerebral vessels. These negative findings strongly suggest that in the rat, beta-adrenergic receptors are not present in the cerebral vasculature. The role of the alpha-adrenergic receptors needs more study.
D000818:Animals; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011433:Propranolol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D051381:Rats; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta
D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D011433:Propranolol