What are the primary neurotransmitters for adrenergic receptors?

Epinephrine and norepinephrine are the primary neurotransmitters that act on adrenergic receptors. These neurotransmitters are crucial for the body's fight-or-flight response and play significant roles in increasing heart rate, dilating air passages, and mobilizing energy sources, among other functions. They bind to alpha and beta adrenergic receptors, prompting various physiological responses that prepare the body to react to stress or danger.

Understanding the role of epinephrine and norepinephrine at adrenergic receptors is essential in pharmacology because numerous medications target these pathways to manage conditions such as asthma, hypertension, and heart failure. The specificity of these neurotransmitters to adrenergic receptors highlights their importance in both health and disease, offering insight into therapeutic strategies involving stimulation or inhibition of these receptors.