title: Muscarinic receptor activation in guinea-pig chromaffin cells causes decreased membrane conductance and depolarization.
abstract: Membrane potentials were recorded with conventional intracellular microelectrodes from chromaffin cells in isolated, bisected adrenal glands from guinea-pigs. The local pressure ejection of muscarinic agonists, acetylcholine (in the presence of hexamethonium) or bethanecol, caused a transient depolarization that was relatively slow (1-2 s) in onset compared with the depolarization associated with the activation of nicotinic receptors. Muscarinic receptor-induced depolarization was associated with an increase in input resistance and the firing of action potentials. Repetitive stimulation of splanchnic nerve fibers within the gland, in the presence of hexamethonium, caused a maintained depolarization that was slow in both onset and decay and in many cells caused the repetitive firing of action potentials. It is suggested that, in this species, the exocytosis of catecholamines caused by the activation of muscarinic receptors, described by others, may be due to the initiation of tetrodotoxin-sensitive action potentials and consequent opening of voltage sensitive Ca2+ channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Holman
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tonta
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Parkington
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D019439:Chromaffin Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000502:physiology*; D013153:Splanchnic Nerves / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D000109:Acetylcholine