title: Action of FMRFamide on longitudinal muscle of the leech, Hirudo medicinalis.
abstract: 1. Nerve terminals associated with longitudinal muscle in the leech show FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity. 2. Structure-activity studies using FMRFamide analogs show that the C-terminal RFamide portion of the molecule is crucial for biological activity on leech longitudinal muscle. 3. The putative protease inhibitor FA (Phe-Ala) increases the peak tension produced by longitudinal muscle in response to superfused FMRFamide and the majority of its analogs, suggesting the presence of peripheral proteases capable of degrading RFamide peptides. 4. FMRFamide decreases the relaxation rate of neurally evoked contractions of longitudinal muscle. FA also decreases the relaxation rate of neurally evoked contractions. 5. Intact and isolated muscle cells respond to superfused FMRFamide with a conductance increase, that leads to depolarization and often with a delayed conductance decrease as the membrane potential is restored to resting levels. 6. The depolarizing response of isolated muscle cells to FMRFamide is dependent on external calcium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Calabrese
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D019835:FMRFamide; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007865:Leeches / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D019835:FMRFamide; D002118:Calcium