title: Action of externally applied ATP on rat reticulospinal vasomotor neurons.
abstract: In anesthetized rats, iontophoretic application of ATP excited the spinal cord-projection neurons in the rostral ventrolateral reticular nucleus of the medulla oblongata. The neuronal response to ATP was mimicked and then blocked by alpha,beta-methylene-ATP, a metabolically stable ATP analogue, and the response was abolished by suramin. Microinjections of ATP (3-100 pmol) into the rostral ventrolateral medulla produced a powerful pressor response. The results suggest that ATP may function as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator involved in medullary regulation of cardiovascular functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wahlestedt
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013498:Suramin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013498:Suramin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C002630:alpha,beta-methyleneadenosine 5'-triphosphate