RESUMO
Beta adrenergic receptors(beta-ARs) were detected in retina, trabecular meshwork, iris and ciliary body in eye of human, cat, rabbit, and bovine using in vitro autoradiography and majority of the beta-ARs found in eye are the beta2 subtype. Recently, the beta2-AR gene has been cloned from hamster, human, rat and monkey using molecular biological methods. Expression of beta2-AR mRNA were demonstrated in smooth muscle, kidney, ovary, brain, adipose tissue, heart, epithelial cells, thymus, lung and liver. However, studies about expression and distribution of beta2-AR mRNA in the eye have not been done yet. Author have characterized the expression of beta2-AR mRNA in rat eye using in situ hybridization with 35S-UTP riboprobe. beta2-AR mRNA was expressed in corneal epithelium and stroma, ciliary epithelium, vessels of ciliary body, choroidal vessel, and retina. In contrast it was not expressed in iris and sclera in the rat eyes. These results support the hypothesis that beta2-AR mRNA may be synthesized in the various ocular tissue and its characterized distribution suggests partially that beta2-ARs are related with aqueous production and blood supply of the eye.