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Proceedings of the Symposium ‘Angiotensin AT 1 Receptors: From Molecular Physiology to Therapeutics’: FUNCTIONS OF ANGIOTENSIN PEPTIDES IN THE ROSTRAL VENTROLATERAL MEDULLA
Author(s) -
Dampney RAL,
Hirooka Y.,
Potts PD,
Head GA
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1440-1681
pISSN - 0305-1870
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1681.1996.tb02822.x
Subject(s) - angiotensin ii , rostral ventrolateral medulla , angiotensin ii receptor type 1 , receptor , medulla , medulla oblongata , renin–angiotensin system , angiotensin receptor , medicine , biology , neuroscience , endocrinology , central nervous system , chemistry , blood pressure
SUMMARY1 It was first shown several years ago that the rostral part of the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) contains a high density of receptor binding sites for angiotensin II (AngII). In the present paper we briefly review recent studies aimed at determining the actions of both exogenous and endogenous angiotensin peptides in the rostral VLM, as well as their specific sites of action. 2 The results of these studies have shown that angiotensin peptides can excite pressor and sympathoexcitatory neurons in the rostral VLM, but do not appear to affect non‐cardiovascular neurons in this region. 3 It is known that pressor neurons in the rostral VLM include both catecholamine and non‐catecholamine neurons. There is evidence that, at least in conscious rabbits, both of these types of neurons are activated by AngII. The specific endogenous angiotensin peptide or peptides that affect pressor neurons in the rostral VLM have not yet been definitively identified. 4 It is also possible that different angiotensin peptides may have different effects on pressor neurons in the rostral VLM, mediated by different receptors. Further studies will be needed to define these different functions as well as the specific receptors and cellular mechanisms that subserve them.