Biomaterial Database

Adrenergic and cholinergic nerves mediate fluid secretion from tracheal glands of ferrets. 1980

D B Borson, and R A Chin, and B Davis, and J A Nadel

Our aim was to determine whether adrenergic as well as cholinergic nerves mediate secretion of fluids from tracheal submucosal glands and, if so, via which receptors. To do this, we studied the secretory responses of tracheal segments to electrical and pharmacologic stimulation in vitro in the presence and absence of a specific nerve blocker and autonomic antagonists. Stimulation caused small elevations, or "hillocks," the size of which we estimated by measuring their diameters. We found that electrical stimulation, acetylcholine, and phenylephrine each caused secretion but that terbutaline did not. Tetrodotoxin prevented the secretory response to electrical stimulation but did not prevent the responses to acetylcholine or phenylephrine. Neither atropine nor phentolamine alone prevented the response to electrical stimulation, but both drugs together did, and propranolol did not inhibit the adrenergic component of the response to electrical stimulation. Atropine blocked the response to acetylcholine, and phentolamine blocked the response to phenylephrine. We conclude that adrenergic and cholinergic nerves mediate secretion from the tracheal glands of ferrets via alpha-adrenergic and muscarinic receptors, respectively.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009093	Mucus	The viscous secretion of mucous membranes. It contains mucin, white blood cells, water, inorganic salts, and exfoliated cells.
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
D002335	Carnivora	An order of MAMMALS, usually flesh eaters with appropriate dentition. Suborders include the terrestrial carnivores Fissipedia, and the aquatic carnivores CANIFORMIA.
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
D005088	Exocrine Glands	Glands of external secretion that release its secretions to the body's cavities, organs, or surface, through a duct.	Exocrine Gland,Gland, Exocrine,Glands, Exocrine
D005289	Ferrets	Semidomesticated variety of European polecat much used for hunting RODENTS and/or RABBITS and as a laboratory animal. It is in the subfamily Mustelinae, family MUSTELIDAE.	Domestic Polecat,Domestic Polecats,European Polecat,European Polecats,Ferret,Mustela putorius,Mustela putorius furo,Polecat, Domestic,Polecat, European,Polecats, Domestic,Polecats, European
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013564	Sympathetic Nervous System	The thoracolumbar division of the autonomic nervous system. Sympathetic preganglionic fibers originate in neurons of the intermediolateral column of the spinal cord and project to the paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia, which in turn project to target organs. The sympathetic nervous system mediates the body's response to stressful situations, i.e., the fight or flight reactions. It often acts reciprocally to the parasympathetic system.	Nervous System, Sympathetic,Nervous Systems, Sympathetic,Sympathetic Nervous Systems,System, Sympathetic Nervous,Systems, Sympathetic Nervous
D014132	Trachea	The cartilaginous and membranous tube descending from the larynx and branching into the right and left main bronchi.	Tracheas