Imidazoline receptors: From discovery to antihypertensive therapy (facts and doubts)

The hypothesis and indirect evidence of imidazoline receptors has been prom oted since some 15 years ago and it gave a substantial impetus for research in this field, resulting in a better understanding of neuronal and cardiov ascular regulatory processes. The nomenclature of the imidazoline receptors has been accepted by international forums but no direct proof for the exis tence of these receptors has been published. Authors summarise the most imp ortant available data, including facts and doubts as far as the discovery, characterisation, and function of imidazoline receptors and their subtypes, the differences between imidazoline receptors and alpha-2 adrenoceptors, a nd also on their participation in regulatory processes. (C) 1999 Elsevier S cience Inc.