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STIMULATION OF AFFERENT NERVE TERMINALS IN THE PERFUSED RABBIT LIVER BY SODIUM SALTS OF SOME LONG‐CHAIN FATTY ACIDS
Author(s) -
Orbach J.,
Andrews W. H. H.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
quarterly journal of experimental physiology and cognate medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0033-5541
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1973.sp002214
Subject(s) - stimulation , efferent , medicine , chemistry , endocrinology , perfusion , acetylcholine , in vivo , afferent , ouabain , fatty acid , sodium , biochemistry , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , organic chemistry
Rabbit livers were perfused with Krebs solution and action potentials were monitored in bundles of the hepatic nerves. When the perfusion fluid contained myristate in a concentration of 0·03 mM or greater there was stimulation of some nerve fibres: oleate, laurate and palmitate stimulated when in greater concentrations, but hexoate was without effect. The effect of these fatty acids was tested on perfused rat hearts, perfused rabbit ears and on isolated rabbit small intestine both in the presence and absence of pharmacological agents which block the autonomic system or its chief transmitters. There was a direct effect on the myocardium but not on the other tissues and no evidence of release of acetylcholine or noradrenaline. In perfused livers the stimulatory action of the fatty acids appeared to be on some afferent but not on efferent nerves. Addition of plasma diminished or abolished the effect. The relevance of this study to events in vivo is not known but under certain conditions long‐chain fatty acids can undoubtedly stimulate some afferent nerves when in high dilution.