Classification of ?1-adrenoceptor subtypes

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Abstract
Two α1-adrenoceptor subtypes (α1A and α1B) have been detected in various tissues by pharmacological techniques, and three distinct cDNAs encoding α1-adrenoceptor subtypes have been cloned. The profile of an increasing number of subtype-selective compounds at cloned and endogenous receptors recently has facilitated alignment between cloned and pharmacologically defined α1-adrenoceptor subtypes. Thus, α1a-adrenoceptors (previously designated α1c), α1b-adrenoceptors and α1d-adrenoceptors (previously designated α1a, α1d or α1a/d) are now recognized. Since the α1d-adrenoceptor shares characteristics with both α1A-and α1B-adrenoceptors, tissues previously reported to express α1A- and/or α1B-adrenoceptors may additionally contain α1d-adrenoceptors. This article reviews the features of all three subtypes and discusses possible pitfalls in their pharmacological identification.