β-Adrenergic Receptor on the Vas Deferens of the Guinea-pig

Abstract

IT was recently reported that the bronchial muscle might have both β- and α-adrenergic receptors and that the former caused bronchodilation¹. Furthermore, Takagi and Osada² suggested that the β-receptor, and not only the α-receptor, has to be on the tracheal muscle. This suggested that the β-receptor might exert an inhibitory action on the vas deferens. Isopropylarterenol and epinephrine have the β-action and their mode of action on the vas deferens isolated from the guinea-pig (400–450 g body-weight) was investigated, using the 30 ml. organ bath at the bath temperature of 26° C. All the concentration-action curves given in this report were drawn with the cumulative technique developed at Prof. Ariens's laboratory³. All the results were presented as the mean of at least ten experiments.