• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.133-146
• /
• 1991

In order to elucidate systematically the effects of serotonin on gastric motility of guinea-pig, the contractile and electrical responses to serotonin were recorded using four kinds of muscle strips prepared from antral circular, antral longitudinal, fundic circular, and fundic longitudinal muscles. Experiments were performed using various methods including isometric contraction recording, transmural electrical field stimulation, junction potential recording, intracellular microelectrode technique, and partition stimulation method. The results were as follows: 1) The effect of serotonin on spontaneous contractions was inhibitory in the circular muscle strips of the antrum and fundus, while it was excitatory in the longitudinal muscle strips of the antrum and fundus. Serotonin changed mainly phasic contractions of both the circular and longitudinal muscle strips in the antrum, while it changed mainly tonic contractions of both the circular and longitudinal muscle strips in the fundus. 2) On the contractions induced by transmural nerve stimulation, serotonin decreased the amplitude in the circular muscle strips of the antrum, but it increased them in the other three groups of muscle strips(antral longitudinal, fundic circular, and fundic longitudinal). 3) On the contractions induced by direct muscle stimulation, serotonin decreased the amplitude in the circular muscle strips of the antrum and fundus. 4) In the fundic circular muscle strips serotonin potentiated excitatory junction potentials (EJPs), and in the antral circular muscle strips it evoked EJPs after inhibitory junction potentials(IJPS). 5) In the antral circular muscle strips serotonin did not affect the slow wave even at the disappearance of spontaneous contractions. On the contrary it increased the amplitude of the slow wave, when the spike component was potentiated and the second component was inhibited. 6) In the antral circular muscle strips the membrane potential was slightly hyperpolarized, but the membrane resistance was not changed. From the above results following conclusions could be made. 1) Serotonin inhibits spontaneous contractions of the circular muscle layer and it increases those of the longitudinal one, irrespective of the gastric region. 2) In the guinea-pig stomach there exists a serotoninergic facilitatory neuromodulation system which exerts its effect on cholinergically mediated contraction. 3) The excitation-contraction decoupling was observed in the effect of serotonin.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.119-125
• /
• 1999

Mammalian gastric smooth muscles generate spontaneous rhythmic contractions which are associated with slow oscillatory potentials (slow waves) and spike potentials. Spike potentials are blocked by organic $Ca^{2+}-antagonists,$ indicating that these result from the activation of L-type $Ca^{2+}-channel.$ However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the generation of slow wave remain unclear. Slow waves are insensitive to $Ca^{2+}-antagonists$ but are blocked by metabolic inhibitors or low temperature. Recently it has been suggested that Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC) serve as pacemaker cells and a slow wave reflects the coordinated behavior of both ICC and smooth muscle cells. Small segments of circular smooth muscle isolated from antrum of the guinea-pig stomach generated two types of electrical events; irregular small amplitude (1 to 7 mV) of transient depolarization and larger amplitude (20 to 30 mV) of slow depolarization (regenerative potential). Transient depolarization occurred irregularly and membrane depolarization increased their frequency. Regenerative potentials were generated rhythmically and appeared to result from summed transient depolarizations. Spike potentials, sensitive to nifedipine, were generated on the peaks of regenerative potentials. Depolarization of the membrane evoked regenerative potentials with long latencies (1 to 2 s). These potentials had long partial refractory periods (15 to 20 s). They were inhibited by low concentrations of caffeine, perhaps reflecting either depletion of $Ca^{2+}$ from SR or inhibition of InsP3 receptors, by buffering $Ca^{2+}$ to low levels with BAPTA or by depleting $Ca^{2+}$ from SR with CPA. They persisted in the presence of $Ca^{2+}-sensitive$ $Cl^--channel$ blockers, niflumic acid and DIDS or $Co^{2+},$ a non selective $Ca^{2+}-channel$ blocker. These results suggest that spontaneous activity of gastric smooth muscle results from $Ca^{2+}$ release from SR, followed by activation of $Ca^{2+}-dependent$ ion channels other than $Cl^-$ channels, with the release of $Ca^{2+}$ from SR being triggered by membrane depolarization.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.103-108
• /
• 2005

To study the direct effect of somatostatin (SS) on calcium channel current ($I_{Ba}$) in guinea-pig gastric myocytes, $I_{Ba}$ was recorded by using whole-cell patch clamp technique in single smooth muscle cells. Nicardipine ($1{\mu}M$), a L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, inhibited $I_{Ba}$ by $98{\pm}1.9$% (n=5), however $I_{Ba}$ was decreased in a reversible manner by application of SS. The peak $I_{Ba}$ at 0 mV were decreased to $95{\pm}1.5$, $92{\pm}1.9$, $82{\pm}4.0$, $66{\pm}5.8$, $10{\pm}2.9$% at $10^{-10}$, $10^{-9}$, $10^{-8}$, $10^{-7}$, $10^{-5}$ M of SS, respectively (n=3∼6; $mean{\pm}SEM$). The steady-state activation and inactivation curves of $I_{Ba}$ as a function of membrane potentials were well fitted by a Boltzmann equation. Voltage of half-activation ($V_{0.5}$) was $-12{\pm}0.5$ mV in control and $-11{\pm}1.9$ mV in SS treated groups (respectively, n=5). The same values of half-inactivation were $-35{\pm}1.4$ mV and $-35{\pm}1.9$ mV (respectively, n=5). There was no significant difference in activation and inactivation kinetics of $I_{Ba}$ by SS. Inhibitory effect of SS on $I_{Ba}$ was significantly reduced by either dialysis of intracellular solution with $GDP_{\beta}S$, a non-hydrolysable G protein inhibitor, or pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX). SS also decreased contraction of guinea-pig gastric antral smooth muscle. In conclusion, SS decreases voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel current ($VDCC_L$) via PTXsensitive signaling pathways in guinea-pig antral circular myocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.225-239
• /
• 1987

The effects of adenosine on the mechanical contractions and electrical activities were investigated in guinea-pig stomach. Spontaneous contractions of the antral region were recorded with force transducer, and the phasic contractions of fundic region were induced by electrical field stimulation. Electrical responses of smocth muscle cells were recored using glass capillary microelectrodes filled with 3M-KCl. Field stimulation was applied transmurally by using a pair of platinum wire (0.5 mm in diameter) placed on both sides of tissue. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% $O_2$ and kept at $35^{\circ}C$. The results obtained were as follows. 1) Adenosine suppressed the spontaneous contractions of antrum in a dose-dependent manner. 2) The inhibitory effect on antral spontaneous contractions was not influenced by the administration of guanethidine $(5{\times}10^{-6}\;M)$ and atropine $10^{-6}\;M$, or in the presence of dipyridamole $10^{-7}\;M$. 3) The phasic contractions of fundus induced by electrical field stimulation, which disappeared rapidly by the addition of tetrodotoxin $(3{\times}10^{-7}\;M)$, were potentiated by adenosine in the presence of guanethidine. 4) Adenosine decreased the amplitude and the maximum rate of rise of slow waves, and the increased amplitude and rate of rise evoked in the high calcium solution or in the presence of TEA were decreased by adenosine. 5) The non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic inhibitory junction potential (IJP) was inhibited by adenosine in the antral region, while the excitatory junction potential (EJP) in the fundic region was potentiated. From the above results, the following conclusions could be made. 1) Adenosine suppresses the spontaneous contractions of antrum strip by the decrease in amplitude and rate of rise of slow waves. 2) The release of neurotransmitter(s) from non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic nerve terminals is inhibited by adenosine.