title: Cadmium: effects on transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction.
abstract: Cd2+ competitively antagonizes Ca2+ in the evoked release of acetylcholine from nerve terminals in the frog sciatic-sartorius neuromuscular junction. The dissociation constant between Cd2+ and its receptor sites was calculated to be 1.7 microM. In agreement with previous work we found that brief exposures to 100-500 microM Cd2+ had little or no effect on spontaneous transmitter release. However, in contrast to other reports, prolonged exposures to 100-100 microM Cd2+ or tetanic nerve stimulation during brief exposures to high concentrations of Cd2+ produced substantial increases in spontaneous transmitter release. We conclude that Cd2+, when present at low concentrations, is a specific Ca2+ channel blocker. At higher concentrations, Cd2+ is either relatively impermeable to the presynaptic nerve membrane or, if it does enter the nerve terminal, it is less effective than such metals as Pb2+, La3+ or Hg2+ in increasing the rate of spontaneous transmitter release.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D011894:Rana pipiens
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D002104:Cadmium; D000109:Acetylcholine