[Molecular structure and function of renal adrenergic receptors]

The kidney is the principal organ in the body that mediates the excretion of water and minerals, and also functions as an endocrine organ in producing hormones, enzymes (e.g., renin), and vasoactive molecules (e.g., prostaglandins). Circulating catecholamines and autonomic innervation of the kidney can influence those important functional responses as well as vascular constriction via renal adrenergic receptors. The adrenergic receptors are members of a large family of G protein-coupled receptors. Recent advance of molecular cloning has revealed a growing heterogeneity of adrenergic receptor subtypes. They share a common topographical motif consisting of seven putative transmembrane regions, where. They are thought to be essential for ligand binding. Multiple subtypes of adrenergic receptors may exist in the kidney. Defining the precise role of renal adrenergic receptors in disease states, particularly hypertension, will certainly require the application of new tools of biochemistry and molecular biology.