Biomaterial Database

The electrical and mechanical basis of co-transmission in some vascular and non-vascular smooth muscles. 1988

T C Muir, and K A Wardle

Department of Pharmacology, University of Glasgow, UK.

1. The intracellularly-recorded electrical and mechanical responses to field stimulation of intramural nerves in three sympathetically-innervated smooth muscles--the mouse vas deferens, the rabbit ear artery and the rabbit mesenteric bed preparation were investigated. 2. In each tissue there was evidence for co-transmission involving noradrenaline (NA) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) or a closely related nucleotide. 3. The electrical response in each tissue consisted of excitatory junction potentials (ejps) which were abolished by alpha, beta-methylene ATP (alpha, beta MeATP, 1-10 X 10(-6) M), suggesting that they were mediated by ATP. Only in the rabbit ear artery was there an additional electrical event mediated by NA. This took the form of a small slow membrane depolarization which followed the ejps and which was antagonized by either of the alpha-adrenoreceptor blocking agents phentolamine (1 X 10(-6) M) or prazosin (1 X 10(-7) M). 4. In the mouse vas deferens and rabbit mesenteric artery, both transmitter substances (NA and ATP) played a role in the contractile response to field stimulation. In the rabbit ear artery, NA alone appeared to mediate the contractile event. 5. Contractile responses to nerve-released ATP were accompanied by a membrane potential change, whereas those to NA appeared to be mediated largely by a voltage-independent mechanism. 6. In the mouse vas deferens, the ejps and action potentials evoked by field stimulation appeared to be mediated by a discrete increase in permeability to Na+ and K+. 7. In the mouse vas deferens, local application of bradykinin (1-100 X 10(-7) M) produced a small, slow membrane hyperpolarization. VIP (1-100 X 10(-7) M), neuropeptide Y (1-100 X 10(-7) M), substance P (1-100 X 10(-7) M), somatostatin (1-100 X 10(-7) M), leu-enkephalin (1-100 X 10(-7) M), metenkephalin (1-100 X 10(-7) M) and bombesin (1-100 X 10(-7) M), similarly applied, each produced no significant change in membrane potential. None of these peptides appear to be the transmitter mediating the ejp in this tissue.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D009130	Muscle, Smooth	Unstriated and unstriped muscle, one of the muscles of the internal organs, blood vessels, hair follicles, etc. Contractile elements are elongated, usually spindle-shaped cells with centrally located nuclei. Smooth muscle fibers are bound together into sheets or bundles by reticular fibers and frequently elastic nets are also abundant. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Muscle, Involuntary,Smooth Muscle,Involuntary Muscle,Involuntary Muscles,Muscles, Involuntary,Muscles, Smooth,Smooth Muscles
D009131	Muscle, Smooth, Vascular	The nonstriated involuntary muscle tissue of blood vessels.	Vascular Smooth Muscle,Muscle, Vascular Smooth,Muscles, Vascular Smooth,Smooth Muscle, Vascular,Smooth Muscles, Vascular,Vascular Smooth Muscles
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
D009638	Norepinephrine	Precursor of epinephrine that is secreted by the ADRENAL MEDULLA and is a widespread central and autonomic neurotransmitter. Norepinephrine is the principal transmitter of most postganglionic sympathetic fibers, and of the diffuse projection system in the brain that arises from the LOCUS CERULEUS. It is also found in plants and is used pharmacologically as a sympathomimetic.	Levarterenol,Levonorepinephrine,Noradrenaline,Arterenol,Levonor,Levophed,Levophed Bitartrate,Noradrenaline Bitartrate,Noradrénaline tartrate renaudin,Norepinephrin d-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine Bitartrate,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride, (+,-)-Isomer,Norepinephrine d-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), (+,-)-Isomer,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), Monohydrate,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), Monohydrate, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:2),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine, (+,-)-Isomer
D011817	Rabbits	A burrowing plant-eating mammal with hind limbs that are longer than its fore limbs. It belongs to the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, and in contrast to hares, possesses 22 instead of 24 pairs of chromosomes.	Belgian Hare,New Zealand Rabbit,New Zealand Rabbits,New Zealand White Rabbit,Rabbit,Rabbit, Domestic,Chinchilla Rabbits,NZW Rabbits,New Zealand White Rabbits,Oryctolagus cuniculus,Chinchilla Rabbit,Domestic Rabbit,Domestic Rabbits,Hare, Belgian,NZW Rabbit,Rabbit, Chinchilla,Rabbit, NZW,Rabbit, New Zealand,Rabbits, Chinchilla,Rabbits, Domestic,Rabbits, NZW,Rabbits, New Zealand,Zealand Rabbit, New,Zealand Rabbits, New,cuniculus, Oryctolagus
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
D000255	Adenosine Triphosphate	An adenine nucleotide containing three phosphate groups esterified to the sugar moiety. In addition to its crucial roles in metabolism adenosine triphosphate is a neurotransmitter.	ATP,Adenosine Triphosphate, Calcium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Chromium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Magnesium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Manganese Salt,Adenylpyrophosphate,CaATP,CrATP,Manganese Adenosine Triphosphate,MgATP,MnATP,ATP-MgCl2,Adenosine Triphosphate, Chromium Ammonium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Magnesium Chloride,Atriphos,Chromium Adenosine Triphosphate,Cr(H2O)4 ATP,Magnesium Adenosine Triphosphate,Striadyne,ATP MgCl2