The concentration of plasma free dopamine (PDA) is said to be much lower than that of other catecholamines and its physiological significance remains unclear. Our recent studies using a newly developed radioenzymatic method disclosed the fairly distinctive features of PDA in patients with various types of hypertension. PDA was also confirmed as a variable responsive to postural change, dietary sodium loading and dopamine receptor antagonist. The results suggest that PDA could be a sensitive marker to represent the peripheral dopaminergic function, which might play an inherent role as a physiological regulator responsible for the cardiovascular and endocrine system.