Catecholamine production along the nephron.

The present work proposes an extra neural site of catecholamine production along the nephron. LLC-PK(1), MDCK, and mIMCD-3 (proximal and distal tubules and inner medullary collecting duct, respectively) presented the following amine concentrations in the cell homogenates: Norepinephrine = 275+/-34, 56+/-16 and 255+/-21; Epinephrine = 161+/-20, 83+/-17 and 53+/-7; and Dopamine = 63+/-15, 39+/-6 and 36+/-7 pg/mg cell protein (Means +/- SEM), respectively. The culture medium showed Norepinephrine = 168+/-25, 22+/-3 and 135+/-8; Epinephrine = 32+/-6, 152+/-17 and 39+/-5; and Dopamine = 27+/-9, 241+/-34 and 26+/-5 pg/mg cell protein, respectively.