Human umbilical vein vasoconstriction induced by epinephrine acting on alpha1B-adrenoceptor subtype.

Objective: Our purpose was to determine the presence of alpha(1)-adrenoceptor messenger RNA subtypes and extend the pharmacologic characterization of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors involved in human umbilical vein (HUV) contraction.

Study Design: Cords (n=124) from healthy patients after term vaginal or cesarean deliveries were used. The vein was carefully dissected out of cords and used for reverse transcription combined with polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to amplify alpha(1)-adrenoceptor transcripts.