AJP - Cell Physiology, Vol 232, Issue 3 88-C94, Copyright © 1977 by American Physiological Society
Amine uptake and metabolism by endothelium of pig pulmonary artery and aorta
A. F. Junod and C. Ody
The uptake and metabolism of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) and l-norepinephrine
(NE) were measured in endothelial cells of pig pulmonary artery and aorta,
as well as in lung slices. Evidence for oxidative deamination and for a
saturable uptake mechanism, sensitive to cold, imipramine, and NA+-free
medium was obtained for 5HT in lung slices and in the pulmonary as well as
in the aortic endothelium, separated from the lumen by absorption to
Millipore filters or by exposure to collagenase. For NE, however, a similar
type of uptake could be deomonstrated in lung slices only. In the aortic
and pulmonary endothelium, NE was metabolized, but its uptake was not
influenced by imipramine, Na+-free medium, and high substrate
concentration. The aortic and pulmonary endothelium have, therefore,
similar properties and exhibit for 5HT, but not for NE, a type of uptake
similar to that existing in lung capillaries.
