• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.233-241
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• 1995

The nonapeptide bradykinin has been shown to exhibit an array of biological activities including relaxation/contraction of various smooth muscles. In order to investigate the effects of bradykinin on the contractility and the electrical activity of antral circular muscle of guinea-pig stomach, the isometric contraction and membrane potential were recorded. Also, using standard patch clamp technique, the $Ca^{2+}-activated$ K currents were recorded to observe the change in cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. $0.4 {\mu}M$ bradykinin induced a triphasic contractile response (transient contraction-transient relaxation-sustained contraction) and this response was unaffected by pretreatment with neural blockers (tetrodotoxin, atropine and guanethidine) or with apamin. Bradykinin induced hyperpolarization of resting membrane potential and enhanced the amplitude of slow waves and spike potentials. The enhancement of spike potentials was blocked by neural blockers. Both the bradykinin-induced contractions and changes in membrane potential were reversed by the selective $B_2$-receptor antagonist $(N{\alpha}-adamantaneacetyl-_{D}-Arg-[Hyp, Thy,_{D}-Phe]-bradykinin)$. In whole-cell patch clamp experiment, we held the membrane potential at -20 mV and spontaneous and transient changes of Ca-activated K currents were recorded. Bradykinin induced a large transient outward current, consistent with a calcium-releasing action of bradykinin front the intracellular calcium pool, because such change was blocked by pretreatment with caffeine. Bradykinin-induced contraction was also blocked by pretreatment with caffeine. From these results, it is suggested that bradykinin induces a calciumrelease and contraction through the $B_{2}$ receptor of guinea-pig gastric smooth muscle. Enhancement of slow wave activity is an indirect action of bradykinin through enteric nerve cells embedded in muscle strip.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.83-90
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• 1997

Aim of this study was to investigate if pancreatic polypeptide (PP) reduced the insulin action via the intra-pancreatic cholinergic nerves in the isolated rat pancreas. The pancreas was isolated from rats and perfused with intra-arterial infusion of modified Krebs-Henseleit solution containing 2.5 mM glucose at a flow rate of 1.2 ml/min. Simultaneous intra-arterial infusion of insulin (100 nM) resulted inpotentiation of the pancreatic flow rate and amylase output which were stimulated by cholecystokinin (CCK, 14 pM). These potentiating actions of insulin on the CCK -stimulated pancreatic exocrine secretion were completely abolished by administration of rat PP. Vesamicol, a potent inhibitor of vesicular acetylcholine storage, and tetrodotoxin (TTX) also significantly reduced the combined actions of insulin and CCK. Administration of carbamylcholine, an acetylcholine agonist, completely restored the vesamicol- or TTX-induced inhibition of the potentiation between insulin and CCK. Also rat PP failed to attenuate the restoring effect of carbamylcholine. Electrical field stimulation (15-30 V, 2 msec and 8 Hz) resulted in a significant increase in the pancreatic flow rate and amylase output in voltage-dependent manner. Effects of electrical field stimulation were augmented by endogenous insulin. Rat PP also suppressed the pancreatic exocrine secretion stimulated by electrical field stimulation. These observations strongly suggest that PP inhibits the potentiating actions of insulin on CCK -stimulated pancreatic exocrine secretion by suppression of the intra-pancreatic cholinergic activity in the isolated rat pancreas.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 1983

Intestine is innervated by an interconnected plexus of both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers. Sympathetic influence causes inhibition of intestinal motility mediated by both ${\alpha}-\;and\;{\beta}-adrenergic$ receptors. The mechanism of intestinal relaxation by ${\beta}-receptors$ has been extensively studied, but the function of ${\alpha}-receptors$ in intestinal motility is still unclear. Although it is suggested that catecholamine reduces acetylcholine release and this may play an important role in ${\alpha}-receptor$ mediated intestinal relaxation, there is no definite evidences about the mechanism and site of action of ${\alpha}-receptor$ mediated relaxation. In this experiment, therefore, the effect and site of action of ${\alpha}-receptor$ agonists were investigated in the guinea pig ileum using electrical field stimulation. The results are summarized as follows : 1) Electrical field stimulation elicited tonic contraction in isolated guinea pig ileum ana this contraction was completely inhibited by the pretreatment of tetrodotoxin or atropine. 2) Norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine inhibited the contraction induced by electrical field stimulation but methoxamine and phenylephrine had little effects. 3) Inhibitory effects of norepinephrine and dopamine was partially blocked by yohimbine and phentolamine pretreatment. But haloperidol and propranolol pretreatment cause no effects on the electrical field stimulation induced contraction. Inhibitory effect of dopamine was completely blocked by both haloperidol and yohimbine pretreatment. 4) Inhibitory effects of norepinephrine and dopamine were little affected by the pretreatment with hexamethonium. It is suggested that electrical field stimulation causes tonic contraction of guinea pig ileum by releasing acetylcholine from postganglionic fiber, and this release is blocked by presynaptic ${\alpha}-receptor$ activation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2014

In this study, we propose that diprophylline exerts bidirectional modulation (BM) on the isolated rat jejunal segment depending on its contractile state. The results supported the hypothesis. Diprophylline ($20{\mu}M$) exerted stimulatory effects on the contractility of jejunal segment in six low contractile states while inhibitory effects in six high contractile states, showing the characteristics of BM. Diprophylline-induced stimulatory effect was significantly blocked by atropine, indicating the correlation with cholinergic activation. Diprophylline-induced inhibitory effect was partially blocked by phentolamine, propranolol, and L-N-Nitro-Arginine respectively, indicating their correlation with sympathetic activation and nitric oxide-mediated relaxing mechanisms. Diprophylline-induced BM was abolished by tetrodotoxin or in a $Ca^{2+}$ free condition or pretreated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib, suggesting that diprophylline-induced BM is $Ca^{2+}$ dependent, and that it requires the presence of enteric nervous system as well as pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal. Diprophylline significantly increased the reduced MLCK expression and myosin extent in constipation-prominent rats and significantly decreased the increased MLCK expression and myosin extent in diarrhea-prominent rats, suggesting that the change of MLCK expression may also be involved in diprophylline-induced BM on rat jejunal contractility. In summary, diprophylline-exerted BM depends on the contractile states of the jejunal segments, requires the presence of $Ca^{2+}$, enteric nervous system, pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal, and MLCK-correlated myosin phosphorylation. The results suggest the potential implication of diprophylline in relieving alternative hypo/hyper intestinal motility.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.131-135
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• 2008

The profile of membrane currents was investigated in differentiated neuronal cells derived from human neural stem cells (hNSCs) that were obtained from aborted fetal cortex. Whole-cell voltage clamp recording revealed at least 4 different currents: a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive $Na^+$ current, a hyperpolarization-activated inward current, and A-type and delayed rectifier-type $K^+$ outward currents. Both types of $K^+$ outward currents were blocked by either 5 mM tetraethylammonium (TEA) or 5 mM 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). The hyperpolarization-activated current resembled the classical $K^+$ inward current in that it exhibited a voltage-dependent block in the presence of external $Ba^{2+}$ (30 ${\mu}$M) or $Cs^+$ (3${\mu}$M). However, the reversal potentials did not match well with the predicted $K^+$ equilibrium potentials, suggesting that it was not a classical $K^+$ inward rectifier current. The other $Na^+$ inward current resembled the classical $Na^+$ current observed in pharmacological studies. The expression of these channels may contribute to generation and repolarization of action potential and might be regarded as functional markers for hNSCs-derived neurons.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 1983

Prostaglandin(PG) is ubiquitously distributed in most mammalian tissue and their actions are complicated. Especially in autonomic nervous system, there are evidences indicating that PGs act as neuromodulators i.e., PGs, which are released in the vicinity of autonomic neuroeffector junctions, influence the release and the response of the neurotransmitter. Present study was undertaken to elucidate the interrelationship between $PGF_{2\alpha}$ and adrenergic ${\alpha}_2-receptor$ function in electrical field stimulation induced contractile response of vas deferens in rat. Male rat, weighing 150{\sim}200\;g, was sacrificed and vas deferens was obtained. The isolated vas deferens strip was placed between two platinum electrodes in temperature controlled $(37^{\circ}C)$ muscle chamber containing Tyrode's solution and the electrical field stimulation(EFS) induced contraction was recorded with Grass Polygraph(Model 7) via force displacement transducer (FT .03, Grass). The results are summarized as follows: 1) Electrical field stimulation for 1sec( 1 msec, 40 cps) induced contraction of vas deferens was completely blocked by tetrodotoxin. 2) Bretylium caused marked inhibition of the EFS-induced contraction, hut tyramine and cocaine augmented the contraction. 3) EFS-induced contraction was inhibited or little affected in distal portion of vas deferens by norepinephrine or methoxamine, but the contraction was rather augmented by the ${\alpha}-agonists$ in proximal portion. 4) Clonidine inhibited the EFS-induced contraction proportionally to the concentration in distal portion, which was blocked by yohimbine pretreatment, but in the presence of $PGF_{2\alpha}$ the blockade by yohimbine was reversed. 5) Indomethacin pretreatment reduced the effect of clonidine, but addition of $PGF_{2\alpha}$ after washing-out the indomethacin caused the contraction to the control level. From these results it is suggested that PG synthesis is a necessary step and the PG itself has a permissive role in ${\alpha}_2-adrenoceptor$ action in rat vas deferens.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.227-234
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• 2000

Many reports suggest that neurotensin (NT) in the gastrointestinal tract may play a possible role as a neurotransmitter, a circulating hormone, or a modulator of motor activity. NT exerts various actions in the intestine; it produces contractile and relaxant responses in intestinal smooth muscle. This study was designed to investigate the effect of NT on motility of antral circular muscle strips in guinea-pig stomach. To assess the role of $Ca^{2+}$ influx in underlying mechanism, slow waves were simultaneously recorded with spontaneous contractions using conventional intracellular microelectrode technique. At the concentration of $10^{-7}$ M, where NT showed maximum response, NT enhanced the magnitude $(863{\pm}198%,\;mean\;SEM,\;n=13)$ and the frequency $(154{\pm}10.3%,\;n=11)$ of spontaneous contractions. NT evoked a slight hyperpolarization of membrane potential, tall and steep slow waves with abortive spikes $(278{\pm}50%,\;n=4).$ These effects were not affected by atropine $(2\;{\mu}M),$ guanethidine $(2\;{\mu}M)$ and tetrodotoxin (0.2μM). NT-induced contractile responses were abolished in $Ca^{2+}-free$ solution and reduced greatly to near abolition by $10\;{\mu}M$ of verapamil or 0.2 mM of $CdCl_2.$ Verapamil attenuated the effects of NT on frequency and amplitude of the slow waves. Taken together, these results indicate that NT enhances contractility in guinea-pig gastric antral circular muscle and $Ca^{2+}$ influx through the voltage-operated $Ca^{2+}$ channel appears to play an important role in the NT-induced contractile mechanism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 1984

The second inward current $(i_{si})$ was studied by the two microelectrode voltage clamp technique in the sino-atrial node of the rabbit. The slow component $(i_{si,2})$ of the second inward current was sometimes identified and $i_{si}$ behaved as if it were a mixture of two currents. We analysed the $(i_{si,2})$ in relation to membrane potential and frequency of voltage clamp pulses. 1) Membrane was held at -40mV which was usually found to be zero current level. When depolarizing pulses were applied, the slow inward current $(i_{si})$ was activated. 2) It was shown that there are three categories of the $i_{si}$ activation by the low level of depolarizing clamp pulses. Moderately fast inward current with single component was developed in most cases in the presence of tetrodotoxin(TTX). But sometimes there was two separate components of $i_{si}$ activation in the peak level and the time course. Thirdly the only slow component of $i_{si}$ was found in rare cases. 3) The activation of $(i_{si,2})$ was dependent upon membrane potential. The $i_{si}$ shows two separate peaks during clamp depolarizations and higher clamp pulses lead to fusion of the peaks. 4) The $i_{si,2}$ activation showed that it decreased with repetitive clamp pulses and it was more evident in higher frequencies(2Hz)(negative staircase).

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.370-380
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• 1997

The role of nitric oxide (NO) on the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxations induced by the short and prolonged electrical field stimulation (EFS) has been studied in the rabbit corpus cavernosum. In the presence of atropine and guanethidine the prolonged EFS (2-16 Hz) of corpus cavernosal strips precontracted with phenylephrine produced frequency-dependent relaxations, which were abolished by tetrodotoxin as shown in the relaxations induced gy the short EFS, indicating that their orgin is NANC nerve stimulation. $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), inhibitor of nitirc oxide synthase, caused a concentration-dependent inhibition to the NANC relaxation, and at 100 M L-NNA the relaxation were virtually abolished. The inhibitory effect of L-NNA was reversed by L-arginine. Hemoglobin abolished the relaxations to NO and also caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of the NANC relaxation. The hemoglobin-resistant relaxation induced by EFS was eliminated by L-NNA. Methylene blue significantly reduced the NANC relaxation in a conentration-dependent manner. The NANC relaxation was not affected by a VIP-inactivating pepridase, alpha0chymotrypsin, whereas VIP-induced relaxation was completely abolished. NO- and VIP-induced relaxation were not affected by L-NNA. These results indicate that the NANC relaxation induced by prolonged EFS of the rabbit corpus cavernosum is mediated by NO-guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate pathway as shown in the relaxation induced by the short EFS, and that VIP release is not essential for the NANC relaxation of the rabbit corpus cavernosum and VIP is not involved the generation fo NO.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 2001

The purpose oi this study is to identify clearly the physiologic significance of autonomic nervous system. This study is to find the loose of endogenous neurotransmitter while using the neural response of the neural excitatory action which is distributed to the perivascular smooth muscle through the electrical stimulation of the smooth muscle of coronary artery of pig. The effects of perivascular nerve stimulation were investigated on isolated coronary artery of pig.1 . The magnitude of contractile response to perivascular nerve stimulation increased with increasing frequency (2-80 Hz) of stimulation. 2. The contractions to perivascular nerve stimulation(40V, 40Hz. 0.5msec, 1 min) were increased greatly by pretreatment of the cholinestrase inhibitor physostigmine. 3. The contraction to perivascular nerve stimulation(40V,40Hz, 0.5msec, 1min) was antagonised markedly by the muscarinic antagonist atropine. 4. The contraction to perivascular nerve stimulation(40V, 40Hz, 0.5msec, 1 min) was blocked by the neural blocker tetrodotoxin. 5. The contractions to perivascular nerve stimulation(40V. 40Hz, 0.5msec, 1 min) were not affected significantly by the -adrenergic antagonist phentolamine or - adrenergic antagonist propranolol. 6. The contractile response by the acetylcholine was increased by the pretreatment of cholinestrase inhibitor physostigmine. The finding suggest that it is powerful excitatory action linked to muscarinic receptor by cholinergic nerve in coronary artery of pig.