Catecholamines play a regulatory role in the cardiovascular system, primarily via β (1-2)-adrenoreceptors (AR). However, in the late 1980s, the cloning of a third β-AR subtype (β3-AR) in the heart has altered the conventional view on the regulation of heart function via the beta-adrenergic receptors. Additionally, in blood vessels, β3-AR was shown to produce relaxation. Currently, the physiological role of β3-AR is not clearly known. Hence, the purpose of this review is to summarize the physiological evidences supporting the functional roles of β3-AR in various tissues, particularly cardiac and vascular. In addition, this review discusses the potential role of β3-AR in obesity and insulin resistance and emphasizes their putative involvement as new therapeutic targets.
Keywords: Beta-3-adrenoceptors, beta-3-adrenergic receptors, autonomic nervous system