Final answer:
The binding of epinephrine to adrenergic receptors results in a fight-or-flight response, including increased heart rate and energy mobilization. An unexpected outcome would be a decrease in heart rate or relaxation of skeletal muscles, which does not align with the typical fight-or-flight reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Epinephrine binds to both alpha (α)-adrenergic and beta (β)-adrenergic receptors on various cell types, triggering a sympathetic response that is part of the fight-or-flight mechanism. This response includes physiological changes such as increased heart rate, pupil dilation, mobilization of energy, and diversion of blood flow to skeletal muscles. It is worth noting that epinephrine causes vasoconstriction at high concentrations due to its action on α-adrenergic receptors and vasodilation at lower concentrations through β-adrenergic receptors due to the opposing effects of these receptors.
An expected outcome of epinephrine binding that would not be part of the sympathetic fight-or-flight response would be decreased heart rate or relaxation of the skeletal muscle. The responses elicited by the binding of epinephrine are typically towards preparing the body for rapid action, and any decrease in alertness or physiological activity would be contradictory to this purpose.