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Are only α2-adrenergic receptors present in bovine retina?

Nature volume 287, pages 645–647 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

The retina represents a part of the central nervous system (CNS) with a well studied, geometrically defined structure and a specialized function—the processing of light signals1. Neurotransmitters such as glutamate,, aspartate, glycine2–4, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine and acetylcholine5–9 are considered to be involved in the neuronal activity of the retina. Receptors for acetylcholine10,11, GABA12, dopamine13 and benzodiazepines14,15 have also been demonstrated. Thus, the retina can be considered as a model for the study of neuronal processing in general, in which the input, light signals, can be selected and regulated in a defined way. We report here that α-adrenergic receptors in the bovine retina have been characterized using radioreceptor assays. 3H-phentolamine (an α1- and α2-antagonist), 3H-clonidine (a preferential α2-agonist) and 3H-WB 4101 [(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxyethyl)aminomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane, an α1-antagonist16] were used as radioligands, and WB 4101 and prazosin17 (α1-antagonists), tolazine (an α2-antagonist)18, yohimbine and its stereoisomers rauwolscine (preference for α2-receptors) and corynanthine (preference for α1-receptors)19,20, were used as inhibitors of radioligand binding. Only α2-adrenergic receptors21,22 were found.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Department of the Pharmaceuticals Division of Ciba-Geigy Ltd, CH-4002, Basle, Switzerland

    Helmut Bittiger, Jakob Heid & Niklaus Wigger

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  1. Helmut Bittiger
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  2. Jakob Heid
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Bittiger, H., Heid, J. & Wigger, N. Are only α2-adrenergic receptors present in bovine retina?. Nature 287, 645–647 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/287645a0

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