Myocyte adrenoceptor signaling pathways.

Adrenoceptors (ARs), members of the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily, form the interface between the sympathetic nervous system and the cardiovascular system, with integral roles in the rapid regulation of myocardial function. However, in heart failure, chronic catecholamine stimulation of adrenoceptors has been linked to pathologic cardiac remodeling, including myocyte apoptosis and hypertrophy. In cardiac myocytes, activation of AR subtypes results in coupling to different G proteins and induction of specific signaling pathways, which is partly regulated by the subtype-specific distribution of receptors in plasma membrane compartments containing distinct complexes of signaling molecules. The Connections Maps of the Adrenergic and Myocyte Adrenergic Signaling Pathways bring into focus the specific signaling pathways of individual AR subtypes and their relevant functions in vivo.