Interstitial washout and hydrolysis of acetylcholine in the perfused heart

The efflux of acetylcholine, of radioactively labelled acetylcholine and choline, into the venous effluent of the perfused chicken heart was studied to determine the kinetics of both interstitial washout and hydrolysis of acetylcholine. Stimulation of both cervical vagus nerves (e.g., for 5 s at 40 Hz) caused a release of acetylcholine, which appeared partially unhydrolyzed in the venous effluent, and reduced force of contraction and heart rate. For comparison, labelled acetylcholine or choline was infused for 5 s into the heart and again the venous efflux of either substance was determined. It was found that the kinetics of efflux of acetylcholine or choline from the interstitial space wer…

Evidence for bilateral vagal innervation of postganglionic parasympathetic neurons in chicken heart

Stimulation of the cervical vagus nerves caused an output of acetylcholine (ACh) from the isolated chicken heart, which almost exclusively was released from the postganglionic neurons: (+)-tubocurarine (3 X 10(-14) M) reduced the output to 12 +/- 6% (n = 7) of the control. Stimulation of the two nerve trunks ws equally effective in releasing ACh.--Evidence that a large number of postganglionic neurons receives bilateral innervation was based on two experimental series. (1). The sum of the ACh outputs evoked by unilateral (separate) nerve stimulation of the right and the left vagus was higher than the bilaterally evoked output (100%) and increased with increasing frequencies (10, 20 and 40 H…

Regulation of Acetylcholine Synthesis and Release in the Isolated Heart

In the two decades following Loewi’s work (8,9) on the frog heart several research groups tried to use the isolated heart preparation from higher vertebrates for further investigations on synthesis, release and inactivation of acetylcholine (ACh). However the results were discouraging because the overflow of ACh during vagal stimulation was near, or below, the limit of the assay.

4-Aminopyridine antagonizes the inhibitory effect of pentobarbital on acetylcholine release in the heart

Effects of pentobarbital on acetylcholine (ACh) release, force of contraction and nervous conduction were studied in isolated heart preparations and in cervical vagus nerves, respectively. 4-Aminopyridine and tetracaine were used as pharmacological tools to eludicate the mode of action of pentobarbital. 1. 4-Aminopyridine (10−4 M) markedly increased the overflow of ACh from the isolated chicken heart evoked by electrical stimulation (1–50 Hz, 1 ms, 40 V) of the cervical vagus nerves. This effect of 4-aminopyridine was highest at low frequencies of stimulation (+ 226% at 1 Hz) and declined with increasing frequencies to reach a minimum augmentation of 22% at 30 Hz. 2. Pentobarbital and tetra…

PRECURSOR CONTROL OF ACETYLCHOLINE SYNTHESIS AND RELEASE IN ISOLATED HEARTS ?