Abstract
Extract: The effect of epinephrine on the heart rate and arterial pressure of 138 chick embryos (2 days incubation age to hatching) and 2 chicks (1 day old) was studied. Twenty micrograms of epinephrine administered to embryos failed to produce a significant cardiac chronotropic response. In embryos of 2–2.5 days incubation age, epinephrine caused a pronounced fall in both systolic and diastolic pressure; no pressure change was seen during the second half of incubation day 3. In all older embryos there was a marked rise in both systolic and diastolic pressures with an increase in pulse pressure. These effects were most pronounced in 4− to 6-day-old embryos.
Speculation: Systematic study of the effects of various autonomic drugs on the embryonic cardiovascular system may indicate when functional innervation occurs, and when and in which sequence α and β or other receptors make their appearance. It is conceivable that at certain stages of development only α or β receptors are present. If this is the case, then very young embryos in turn may provide unique subjects for the testing of newly developed autonomic drugs.
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Hoffman, L., Van Mierop, L. Effect of Epinephrine on Heart Rate and Arterial Blood Pressure of the Developing Chick Embryo. Pediatr Res 5, 472–477 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197109000-00005
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197109000-00005
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