Alpha receptors Flashcards
What are the neurotransmitters secreted by the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems?
Sympathetic - noradrenaline
Parasympathetic - acetylcholine
Adrenal medulla secrete adrenaline. True or false?
True
Where are B3 receptors mainly expressed?
Fat cells
How many isoforms of adrenergic receptors are there?
Four
Where are a1 receptors specifically expressed?
Vascular smooth muscle
Do a1 receptors mediate vasoconstriction or vasodilation?
Vasoconstriction
How do a1 receptors mediate vasoconstriction?
a1 receptors activate phospholipase C via Gaq
Phospholipase C hydrolyses PIP (lipid) into two product: IP3 and DAG.
DAG remains in the plane of the bilayer and activates PKC
IP3 is water solube and so diffuses to cytosol and activates ligand gated ion channels in the endoplasmic reticulum and sarcoplasmic reticulum
This leads to influx of calcium ions and an increased conc in them, which leads to contraction of smooth muscle
Which organs respond to adrenaline and noradrenaline?
Blood vessels, heart and lungs predominantly but also GI tract, salivary glands, bladder
Activation of a1 receptors can lead to relaxation of smooth muscle in GIT. True or false?
True
Which protein kinase is involved with mechanism of a1 receptors?
Protein kinase C
Which protein kinase is inhibited in mechanism of a2 receptors?
Protein kinase A
What is the mechanism of action of a2 receptors?
a2 receptors couple to Gai (inhibitory)
Gai inhibits activation of adenylyl cyclase
production of cAMP is inhibited and therefore PKA is not activated
this inhibits the release of neurotransmitters, including noradrenaline and acetylcholine
What is the importance of the negative feedback loop in a2 receptors?
Secretion of noradrenaline leads to activation of a1 receptors and therefore contraction of vascular smooth muscle.
As noradrenaline conc reach a high threshold, it feeds back onto a2 receptors, which inhibit further release of the neurotransmitter = negative feedback
This stops the smooth muscle from continuously contracting
Activation of a2 receptors also reduces insulin release. True or false?
True
Adrenaline acts differently on alpha receptors than it does on beta receptors. True or false?
False - acts in a similar way on all four receptors
Noradrenaline is an agonist of alpha receptors and B1 receptor. True or false?
True
Methoxamine is a beta agonist. True or false?
False - alpha agonist
Isoprenaline is an alpha agonist. True or false?
False - beta agonist