[Changes in alpha1-, alpha2-, and beta-adrenergic responses of blood pressure in blood vessels of the rabbit hindlimbs during cold adaptation].

Changes in major parameters of alpha 1-, alpha 2- and beta-adrenergic responses (EC50 and Pm) were studied in hind-limb arterial vessels of the rabbits adapted to cold for 1-30 days (daily cold exposures for 6 hours at -10 degrees C). It was shown that responses to phenylephrine, noradrenaline, adrenaline (alpha 1-agonists), clondine (alpha 2-agonist), isopropylnoradrenaline (beta-agonist) corresponded to the equation p = (Pm.An)/(EC50n = An) with n = 1 and n = 2, respectively. Adaptation to cold induced radically different changes in the major parameters of alpha- and beta-adrenergic responses. In the alpha-adrenergic responses, the parameters EC50 and Pm changed reciprocally. In the beta-adrenergic response, only the Pm value changed while EC50 did not differ from the control over the entire period of adaptation to cold. The pronounced differences from the control gradually decreased within 1-5 days of adaptation but remained significant until the 30th day.