title: Gastrin-releasing peptide stimulates gallbladder motility but not sphincter of Oddi motility in Australian brush-tailed possum.
abstract: The neural distribution and action of gastrin-releasing peptide in the extrahepatic biliary tree of the Australian brush-tailed possum was investigated. Immunohistochemical staining of fixed specimens demonstrated gastrin-releasing peptide-containing nerves throughout the neural plexuses of the gallbladder, sphincter of Oddi, and mucosa of the common bile duct. Gastrin-releasing peptide (5-2000 ng/kg) increased gallbladder tone to a level equivalent to that produced by cholecystokinin octapeptide (160 ng/kg). This action was tetrodotoxin-insensitive. Sphincter of Oddi motility and transsphincteric flow were not altered. Possible mediation of the gallbladder response by gastrin was examined. Gastrin (50-2500 ng/kg) stimulated gastric acid secretion, elevated gallbladder motility to 64% of that produced by gastrin-releasing peptide, and did not alter sphincter of Oddi motility. In conclusion, gastrin-releasing peptide-containing nerves are found in the neural plexus of the possum extrahepatic biliary tree. Gastrin-releasing peptide induces gallbladder contraction in part by a direct action on gallbladder smooth muscle and also via release of gastrin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Padbury
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Snelling
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Schloithe
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toouli
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Saccone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000294:innervation*; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide / Q000502:physiology*; D005755:Gastrins / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology*; D009893:Opossums; D009803:Sphincter of Oddi / Q000294:innervation*
chemical_list: D005755:Gastrins; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide