Radioreceptor characterization of cardiovascular nucleoside transporters.

The nucleoside transport system (NTS), an integral part of the adenosine inactivation mechanism, is physiologically significant in adenosine-mediated autoregulation of cardiovascular function. Radioreceptor approaches have been employed in the characterization of nucleoside transporters as potential targets in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases. Unanswered questions that are being addressed relate to their pharmacological regulation and their involvement in the pathogenesis of disease states. A brief overview of the characterization of nucleoside transporters in the cardiovascular system is presented and discussed in terms of their relevance to cardiovascular function.