Angiotensin receptors: Form and function and distribution

Abstract

The peptide hormone, angiotensin II, acts primarily via type I (AT 1 ) and type II (AT 2 ) angiotensin receptors. Proteolytic fragments of angiotensin II also have biological activity via these and other receptors, with actions that may mimic or antagonise angiotensin II. Most notably, a high affinity-binding site for angiotensin IV (the Val 3 -Phe 8 fragment of angiotensin II) has recently been identified as the insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP). While AT 1 and AT 2 receptors are seven transmembrane-spanning, G protein-coupled receptors with some well-established features of relevance to health and disease, the existence of separate receptor systems for angiotensin fragments offers ex..