MOLECULAR PHARMACOLOGY OF V-1A VASOPRESSIN RECEPTORS

1. Vasopressin, a mammalian neurohypophysial peptide hormone, has diverse physiological actions. 2. Pharmacological studies, using a range of mammalian tissues, have identified three subtypes of vasopressin receptor. 3. The V-la subtype of vasopressin receptor is widely distributed and mediates many central and peripheral actions of vasopressin. 4. The development of subtype-selective vasopressin analogues has provided valuable tools for pharmacological and physical studies of the V-la receptor protein. 5. Pharmacological differences indicate species heterogeneity in the characteristics of V-la receptors and in the expression of hepatic V-la receptors. 6. The cloning of neurohypophysial hormone receptor proteins allows structural and functional comparison of the V-la vasopressin receptors with other G-protein-coupled receptors.