-ANG II levels were ϳ80% lower in the kidney and adrenal glands of Agtr1aϪ/Ϫ mice (P Ͻ 0.01). Captopril decreased endogenous plasma and renal ANG II levels (P Ͻ 0.01) but increased intracellular uptake of [ 125 I]Val 5 -ANG II in the kidney and adrenal glands of wild-type and Agtr1aϪ/Ϫ mice (P Ͻ 0.01). Losartan largely blocked renal and adrenal uptake of [ 125 I]Val 5 -ANG II in wild-type and Agtr1aϪ/Ϫ mice. Thus 80% of intracellular ANG II uptake in the kidney and adrenal glands is mediated by AT 1a receptors, whereas AT1b receptor-and other non-receptor-mediated mechanisms account for 20% of the response. Our results suggest that AT 1a receptor-mediated uptake of extracellular ANG II may play a physiological role in the kidney and adrenal glands.AT1 receptor-mediated endocytosis; in vivo autoradiography; losartan IT IS WELL RECOGNIZED that local ANG II levels are much higher in many target tissues, such as the kidney and adrenal glands, than in the plasma (3,5,20,34). High tissue ANG II levels in tissues is generally thought to be primarily due to increased local formation, because all major components of the reninangiotensin system, including angiotensinogen, renin, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), are expressed in these tissues (3,20,24). However, it recently became clear that the receptor-mediated uptake of circulating and/or extracellular ANG II may also contribute to high levels of ANG II in tissues (17,25,34,36). We and others have shown that ANG II levels in rat and mouse kidneys were increased by chronic ANG II infusion (17,34,36). Because local ANG II formation is physiologically regulated by a negative-feedback mechanism by ANG II via an angiotensin type 1 (AT 1 ) receptor-mediated mechanism, intrarenal ANG II levels are generally expected to fall, rather than increase, during long-term ANG II administration. Furthermore, blockade of ANG II receptors with AT 1 receptor antagonists, which increase renin release (and, therefore, ANG II generation) and inhibit ANG II binding to cell surface AT 1 receptors, prevents the increases in intrarenal ANG II induced by long-term ANG II infusion (17,25,34,36). These studies strongly suggest that high tissue ANG II levels in the kidney during long-term ANG II administration are likely due to AT 1 receptor-mediated endocytosis of extracellular ANG II, rather than increases in local ANG II synthesis. By contrast, whether adrenal glands also take up extracellular ANG II via the AT 1 receptor-mediated mechanism is less clear, because inconsistent results have been reported (23,25,37).Two isoforms of AT 1 receptors, AT 1a and AT 1b , are expressed in rodent kidneys and adrenal glands (9, 19, 31). It is not known which AT 1 receptor plays a predominant role in mediating ANG II uptake in rodents, nor is it clear whether the AT 1b receptor would assume the role of the AT 1a receptor when the former is absent. Previous studies in rats or pigs with use of AT 1 receptor antagonists were unable to determine the precise role of AT 1a and AT 1b receptors, because these ...