Premium
AN ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF COOLING ON AUTONOMIC NEUROMUSCULAR TRANSMISSION IN THE GUINEA‐PIG VAS DEFERENS
Author(s) -
Blakeley A. G. H.,
Cunnane T. C.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
quarterly journal of experimental physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0144-8757
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1982.sp002681
Subject(s) - vas deferens , electrophysiology , guinea pig , excitatory postsynaptic potential , facilitation , neuromuscular transmission , anesthesia , chemistry , anatomy , medicine , biology , neuroscience , receptor
The effects of cooling upon the excitatory junction potential (e.j.p.) and spontaneous e.j.p.s. in the guinea‐pig vas deferens have been studied. A series of strict criteria have been used to select ‘successful’ penetration of smooth muscle cells by the micro‐electrodes. Cooling the vas from 35 to 22°C has little effect on the membrane potential. The e.j.p. is increased in size by cooling from 5·1±0·2 mV, n = 120 at 35 °C to 15·9±0·5 mV, n = 29 at 22 °C. Facilitation is less marked at lower temperatures. The effects of cooling are not due to any effects under the electrodes used to stimulate the innervation of the vas. The frequency and size of spontaneous e.j.p.s. is reduced by cooling. The significance of these observations is discussed.