Synaptic transmission in parasympathetic ganglia in the urinary bladder of the cat. 1976

W C DeGroat, and W R Saum

1. Electrophysiological techniques were used to study the sacral para-sympathetic input to pelvic ganglia located on the surface of the urinary bladder of the cat. 2. Synaptic transmission in pelvic ganglia was mediated primarily via nicotinic receptors although muscarinic excitatory receptors were present. 3. The most prominent characteristic of transmission in pelvic ganglia was the marked recruitment elicited by increasing frequencies of preganglionic nerve stimulation. Post-ganglionic action potentials were of low amplitude at low frequencies of stimulation (0-1-0-5c/s), but commonly increased to five to twenty times control amplitudes during continuous stimulation at frequencies between 5 and 10c/s. Thus, it is proposed that vesical ganglia may act as "filters" in the micturition pathway; blocking the excitatory input to the bladder when intravesical pressure and parasympathetic firing is low and facilitating the neural input to the bladder during micturition when preganglionic activity is high. 4. Information was also obtained about the characteristics of the parasympathetic post-ganglionic neurones innervating the bladder. Stimulation of the preganglionic fibres in the pelvic nerve elicited a bimodal contraction consisting of an initial phasic response, which was atropine-resistant and a tonic response which was blocked by atropine. This suggests that two types of neurones, cholinergic and non-cholinergic, may mediate the sacral input to the vesical smooth muscle.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009435 Synaptic Transmission The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D010275 Parasympathetic Nervous System The craniosacral division of the autonomic nervous system. The cell bodies of the parasympathetic preganglionic fibers are in brain stem nuclei and in the sacral spinal cord. They synapse in cranial autonomic ganglia or in terminal ganglia near target organs. The parasympathetic nervous system generally acts to conserve resources and restore homeostasis, often with effects reciprocal to the sympathetic nervous system. Nervous System, Parasympathetic,Nervous Systems, Parasympathetic,Parasympathetic Nervous Systems,System, Parasympathetic Nervous,Systems, Parasympathetic Nervous
D011950 Receptors, Cholinergic Cell surface proteins that bind acetylcholine with high affinity and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behavior of cells. Cholinergic receptors are divided into two major classes, muscarinic and nicotinic, based originally on their affinity for nicotine and muscarine. Each group is further subdivided based on pharmacology, location, mode of action, and/or molecular biology. ACh Receptor,Acetylcholine Receptor,Acetylcholine Receptors,Cholinergic Receptor,Cholinergic Receptors,Cholinoceptive Sites,Cholinoceptor,Cholinoceptors,Receptors, Acetylcholine,ACh Receptors,Receptors, ACh,Receptor, ACh,Receptor, Acetylcholine,Receptor, Cholinergic,Sites, Cholinoceptive
D011955 Receptors, Drug Proteins that bind specific drugs with high affinity and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behavior of cells. Drug receptors are generally thought to be receptors for some endogenous substance not otherwise specified. Drug Receptors,Drug Receptor,Receptor, Drug
D001743 Urinary Bladder A musculomembranous sac along the URINARY TRACT. URINE flows from the KIDNEYS into the bladder via the ureters (URETER), and is held there until URINATION. Bladder,Bladder Detrusor Muscle,Detrusor Urinae,Bladder Detrusor Muscles,Bladder, Urinary,Detrusor Muscle, Bladder,Detrusor Muscles, Bladder
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D004558 Electric Stimulation Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses. Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D005260 Female Females
D005725 Ganglia, Autonomic Clusters of neurons and their processes in the autonomic nervous system. In the autonomic ganglia, the preganglionic fibers from the central nervous system synapse onto the neurons whose axons are the postganglionic fibers innervating target organs. The ganglia also contain intrinsic neurons and supporting cells and preganglionic fibers passing through to other ganglia. Autonomic Ganglia,Ganglion, Autonomic,Autonomic Ganglion
D000200 Action Potentials Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli. Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential

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