title: Neuromuscular control of the glottis in a primitive air-breathing fish, Amia calva.
abstract: The neuromuscular control of the glottis, a muscular sphincter that controls air flow to and from the swim bladder, was investigated using in vitro preparations from bowfin (Amia calva). Stimulation of the ramus intestinalis branch of the vagus nerve caused an increase in isometric tension of the glottal musculature, indicating active closure. The glottis could be actively opened only by direct stimulation of muscle bundles lying lateral to the glottis. In 19 of 24 preparations supramaximal nerve stimulation (20 Hz, 10 V) caused a two-phase increase in muscle tension. Immediately after the onset of stimulation there was a rapid increase in muscle tension. After the end of the train of stimuli, the tension decreased and then again increased briefly followed by a slow return to baseline lasting approximately 60 s. The addition of hyoscine reduced maximum tension of the response by 63 +/- 7% and abolished the second slower element of the response to vagal stimulation. The remaining faster response to nerve stimulation was abolished by tubocurarine. Applied acetylcholine or carbachol mimicked the slow response, causing a slow-onset sustained contraction that was abolished by hyoscine. Hence, the musculature showed physiological characteristics of both skeletal and smooth muscle. Histological examination of the glottis confirmed the physiological results: smooth muscle fibers were found lining the pneumatic duct and lumen of the glottis arranged in a circular fashion around the lateral margins of the glottis. Distinct skeletal muscle bundles were found lateral to the smooth muscle and also arranged in parallel with the glottal lumen, forming a skeletal muscle sphincter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hedrick
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000388:Air; D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012601:Scopolamine; D000109:Acetylcholine