title: Effects of galanin on electrical activity of pancreatic islet cells.
abstract: Intracellular microelectrode technique was used to investigate the effect of galanin on the electrical activity of beta cells of Langerhans islets of mice. Galanin 0.15 and 0.3 mumol/L in the perfusion medium inhibited the basic electrical activity induced by glucose 5.5, 11.1 and 20 mmol/L in decreasing the frequency and amplitude of the spikes. In some cells, during galanin inhibition there was a hyperpolarization after the spike. Verapamil (30, 60 and 90 mumol/L), a blocker of voltage-dependent Ca channels, blocked dose-dependently the electrical activity induced by glucose and attenuated the depolarization induced by KCl 50 mmol/L. Galanin 0.3 mumol/L also attenuated the depolarization induced by KCl 50 mmol/L, similar to the effect of verapamil. The results suggest that the effect of galanin on inhibition of the electrical activity of beta cell might be due to blocking of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Shanghai Medical University, China.
authors.forename: X W
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Z W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D019004:Galanin; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D010455:Peptides; D019004:Galanin; D014700:Verapamil