title: Calcitonin gene-related peptide: an inhibitor of guinea pig gallbladder contraction.
abstract: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) relaxes vascular and intestinal smooth muscle. This study localized CGRP in the guinea pig gallbladder, examined the effects of CGRP on KCl- and ACh-induced contraction, and determined CGRPs site of action in the gallbladder. The gallbladder of male Hartley guinea pigs was used in in vitro tension studies, radioimmunoassay, or immunocytochemical studies. Radioimmunoassay showed that 8.0 +/- 0.5 pmol/g of immunoreactive CGRP was present. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that immunoreactive-CGRP nerve fibers occurred around blood vessels, in gallbladder smooth muscle layers, and were associated with ganglia. No immunoreactive cell bodies were observed, even after colchicine treatment. The in vitro tension studies showed that CGRP inhibits either KCl- or acetylcholine-stimulated contraction. CGRP may in part act directly on the gallbladder smooth muscle to inhibit contraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Kline
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Benishin
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000502:physiology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D011189:Potassium Chloride; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D000109:Acetylcholine