Macrovascular dopamine release. Kraschinski, Stephanie, August Epple, and Barbara Nibbio. Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
APStracts 3:0006R, 1996.
In an animal model, the American eel, perifused elastic arteries and large veins, but not the heart and organs with extensive microvascular supply (gills and opisthonephric kidney), release spontaneously free dopamine (DA). Only the region of the cardinal vein which contains the adrenomedullary equivalent, also releases norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E). Ca++, KCl and E stimulate DA release from the ventral aorta and caudal vein, indicating that this phenomenon is due to secretion, and not to wash-out. E also stimulates NE release from the ventral aorta and caudal vein. In the rat, both aorta and vena cava release spontaneously DA and NE. Thus, DA secretion from large blood vessels may be general in vertebrates. The DA response to high physiological concentrations of E in vivo and in vitro suggests that macrovascular DA may be involved in local stress responses.

Received 26 June 1995; accepted in final form 13 December 1995.
APS Manuscript Number R390-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Regulatory Integrative
Comp. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 22 January 96