title: Central cholinergic mechanisms mediate swallowing, renal excretion, and c-fos expression in the ovine fetus near term.
abstract: Fetal swallowing and renal metabolism contribute importantly to amniotic and body fluid homeostasis. To determine central cholinergic modulation of swallowing activity and renal excretion associated with neural activity, we examined the effects of intracerebroventricular injection of carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, in ovine fetuses at 0.9 gestation. Fetuses were chronically prepared with thyrohyoid, nuchal and thoracic esophagus, and diaphragm electromyogram electrodes, as well as lateral ventricle and vascular catheters. Electrodes were also implanted on the parietal dura for determination of fetal electrocorticogram (ECoG). After 5 days of recovery, fetal swallowing, ECoG, and urine output were monitored during basal period and the experimental period following intracerebroventricular injection of 0.9% NaCl as the control (n = 5) or carbachol (3 microg/kg, n = 5). Central carbachol did not significantly change fetal low voltage (LV) and high voltage (HV) ECoG temporal distributions. However, swallowing activity during LV ECoG was elevated significantly after intracerebroventricular carbachol. Associated with the swallowing activation, c-fos immunoreactivity in the putative dipsogenic center, subfornical organ, was enhanced significantly. The fetal urine flow rate and renal Na+, K+, and Cl(-) excretion were markedly increased following intracerebroventricular carbachol and sustained at the high level for at least 2 h. The results indicate that the central cholinergic mechanism is established and functional in regulation of fetal behavior and renal excretion at least at 0.9 gestation, which plays an important role in maintenance of fetal body fluid homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Sport Science, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Caiping
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Fanxing
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Liyan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhice
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002217:Carbachol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002712:Chlorides / Q000652:urine; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003679:Deglutition / Q000187:drug effects; D004231:Diuresis; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D004947:Esophagus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000294:innervation*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006706:Homeostasis; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000294:innervation*; D009318:Natriuresis; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D011247:Pregnancy; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D012756:Sheep; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D013356:Subfornical Organ / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014563:Urodynamics; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D002217:Carbachol; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium