Ontogeny of angiotensin II receptors.

Aside from the well known role of angiotensin II (Ang II) in blood pressure regulation and fluid homeostasis, accumulating evidence suggests that the octapeptide hormone also plays a role in growth and development. There are two major classes of Ang II receptors (AT1 and AT2) which mediate Ang II action. Both classes are members of the large superfamily of seven transmembrane domain spanning receptors. Fetal tissue express high levels of AT receptors. Throughout fetal and postpartum life, the AT1 and AT2 tissue distribution changes dramatically. The evolution of each receptor type is distinct and varies according to the organ. Thus, the different patterns of temporal expression of each receptor class could be related to various roles that Ang II may play during development.