8. Sympathetic Nervous and Renin Angiotensin Sytems Flashcards
Which regions of the CNS do the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways come from?
- Sympathetic - thoracolumbar
* Parasympathetic - craniosacral
What do baroreceptors do and where are they found?
- Pressure sensors
- Increased baroreceptor firing => increased parasympathetic activity
- Sympathetic effect to cause vasodilation - reduced BP
- Found in the Aortic Arch and Carotid arteries
Which neurotransmitter do all parasympathetic nerve terminals release?
Acetylcholine
What is the neurotransmitter in the paravertebral sympathetic ganglion?
Acetylcholine
What is the neurotransmitter at the effector sympathetic nerve terminal?
Noradrenaline
What part of the body acts as a specialised post-ganglionic neurone, releasing adrenaline/noradrenaline?
Adrenal medulla
What do post-ganglionic fibres to the sweat glands release?
Acetylcholine
What type of hormones are noradrenaline and adrenaline?
Catecholamines
How is noradrenaline synthesised and released?
- Tyrosine enters terminal varicosity - small nodule at the end of the sympathetic release
- Converted into dopamine which enters vesicle - dopamine => noradrenaline
- The granular vesicles fuse with varicosity membranes and are exocytosed - active (ATP)
- Reuptake and removal of noradrenaline
What are the 2 methods to remove noradrenaline from the cleft?
1) Goes back to the neurone that released it
2) Taken up by extraneuronal cells and broken down by COMT (Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase) and MAO (Monoamine Oxidase)
How are adrenoreceptors subdivided?
- Alpha - excitatory effects on smooth muscle
- Beta - relaxant effects on smooth muscle + stimulatory effect on heart (inotropic and chronotropic i.e. increase force of contraction and heart rate)
How are beta receptors subdivided?
- Beta 1 - cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle of GI tract
- Beta 2 - vasculature, bronchi, uterine smooth muscle
- Beta 3 (recently added) - fat cells, possibly on smooth muscle of GI tract
How are alpha receptors subdivided?
- Alpha 1 - located post-synaptically (predominantly on effector cells), mediate constriction of resistance vessels in response to sympathomimetic amines - BP regulation
- Alpha 2 - located pre-synaptically, their activation by released transmitter causes negative feedback inhibition of further transmitter release (some are post-synaptic on VSMCs)
How do Alpha 1 Adrenoreceptors work?
- Signal transduction via G protein
- Activation of receptor => activation of Phospholipase C
- PLC convert PIP2 => IP3
- Release of calcium from intracellular stores
- Contraction
How are Beta and Alpha 2 adrenoreceptors coupled?
- Beta receptors are coupled with Adenylate Cyclase
- Adenylate Cyclase increases levels of cAMP
- cAMP is an inhibitor in smooth muscle and platelets
- cAMP activates cardiomyocytes
- Alpha 2 receptors are also calcium releasing receptors
- However, it inhibits the Adenylate Cyclase
- Reduced cAMP => reduced calcium release