Non-cholinergic excitatory transmission to intestinal smooth muscle cells

Abstract

CONTRACTILE responses of the chicken rectum to stimulation of Remak's nerve and intramural nerves are virtually unaffected by drugs affecting the cholinergic or adrenergic system, suggesting that the remaining response is mediated through excitation of nerves other than cholinergic or adrenergic nerves^1–3. Using the sucrose-gap method we found excitory junction potentials assumed to be elicited by stimulation of excitatory nerves whose transmitter was unknown⁴. In an attempt to confirm and extend these observations we have studied an electrical change in the smooth muscle membrane, recorded intracellularly, in junctional transmission from excitatory nerves.