Contractile responses of helically cut strips of noninnervated human umbilical artery and vein were determined. Spontaneous, rhythmic contractions were exhibited by both preparations, but were greater in magnitude and duration in umbilical veins. Vasoconstriction elicited by sympathomimetic amines was variable, and generally of a low order. The response to norepinephrine was not potentiated by cocaine (10 µg/ml) but was blocked by Dibenamine (1.0–1.5 µg/ml). Umbilical vasoconstrictor response to tyramine (1.0–10.0 µg/ml) indicated the direct vasoconstrictor effect of this agent. The similar norepinephrine-to-tyramine sensitivity ratios of umbilical vessels and canine main pulmonary artery were interpreted as evidence against the indirect action of tyramine in vitro. Isoproterenol produced no vasodilation in umbilical vessels, suggesting the absence of ß-adrenergic pathways. Oxytocin (>>0.1 mU/ml) was a highly effective umbilical vasoconstrictor. Native and synthetic oxytocin preparations were equiactive and produced tachyphylaxis to each other. Native and synthetic lysine-8-vasopressin (>>0.005 U/ml) and angiotensin amide (>>0.002 µg/ml) produced only minimal and inconsistent vasoconstriction, while serotonin (>>0.004 µg/ml) was as effective as oxytocin.
Characterization of excitatory prostanoid receptors in the human umbilical artery in vitro