Summary
-
1.
Spontaneous electrical and contractile activity were studied in the colon of fasted, unanesthetized cats. Needle electrodes and strain-gage transducers had been implanted on the serosal side along the colon 10 days to 5 months prior to the experiments.
-
2.
Electrical activity consisted of spikes, oscillations, and slow waves. Slow waves were omnipresent. Spikes and oscillations occurred intermittently.
-
3.
Mean slow-wave frequency was 5.3 cpm in the ascending, 5.4 cpm in the transverse, and 5.5 cpm in the descending colon.
-
4.
Spike bursts exhibited 2 different rhythmic patterns: a) short bursts which were phase locked to slow waves; b) prolonged sequences occurring at frequencies of 0.7–1.4 cpm. The first type was prevalent in the proximal, the second one in the distal colon.
-
5.
The patterns of contractions followed those of the spikes, i.e. contractions of the descending colon were very slow and sustained, in contrast to the proximal colon.
-
6.
It is concluded that motility of the intact colon is determined largely by 2 types of electrical oscillators: A slow-wave oscillator which is more labile than in upper parts of the gut and an ultraslow oscillator.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bass, P., Wiley, J. N.: Electrical and extraluminal contractile force activity of the duodenum of the dog. Amer. J. Dig. Dis.10, 183 (1965).
Bolton, T. B.: On the nature of the oscillations of the membrane potential (slow waves) produced by actylcholine or carbachol in intestinal smooth muscle. J. Physiol. (Lond.)216, 403 (1971).
Caprilli, R., Onori, L.: Origin, transmission and ionic dependence of colonic electrical slow waves. Scand. J. Gastroent.7, 65 (1972).
Caprilli, R., Onori, L., Torsoli, A.: Études électro-physiologiques sur la musculature du colon chez l'homme et chez le chat. Biol. Gastro-Entérol.2, 175 (1971).
Christensen, J.: The controls of gastrointestinal movements: Some old and new views. New Engl. J. Med.285, 85 (1971).
Christensen, J., Caprilli, R., Lund, G. F.: Electrical slow waves in circular muscle of cat colon. Amer. J. Physiol.217, 771 (1969).
Christensen, J., Hauser, R. L.: Longitudinal axial coupling of slow waves in proximal cat colon. Amer. J. Physiol.221, 246 (1971).
Christensen, J., Hauser, R. L.: Circumferential coupling of electric slow waves in circular muscle of cat colon. Amer. J. Physiol.221, 1033 (1971).
Couturier, D., Rozé, C., Couturier-Turpin, M. H., Debray, C.: Electromyography of the colon in situ. An experimental study in man and in the rabbit. Gastroenterology56, 317 (1969).
Golenhofen, K., Loh, D. v.: Elektrophysiologische Untersuchungen zur normalen Spontanaktivität der isolierten Taenia coli des Meerschweinchens. Pflügers Arch.314, 312 (1970a).
Golenhofen, K., Loh, D. v.: Intracelluläre Potentialmessungen zur normalen Spontanaktivität der isolierten Portalvene des Meerschweinchens. Pflügers Arch.319, 82 (1970b).
Golenhofen, K., Loh, D. v., Milenov, K.: Elektrophysiologische Untersuchungen zur Spontanaktivität isolierter Muskelpräparate aus verschiedenen Abschnitten des Meerschweinchen-Magens. Pflügers Arch.315, 336 (1970).
Jacoby, H. I., Bass, P., Bennett, D. R.: In vivo extraluminal contractile force transducer for gastrointestinal muscle. J. appl. Physiol.18, 658 (1963).
Kelly, K. A., Code, C. F., Elveback, L. R.: Patterns of gastric electrical activity. Amer. J. Physiol.217, 461 (1969).
Kuriyama, H., Osa, T., Tasaki, H.: Electrophysiological studies of the antrum muscle fibers of the guinea pig stomach. J. gen. Physiol.55, 48 (1970).
Provenzale, L., Pisano, M., Di Martino, L.: L'attività elettrica intestinale con particolare riguardo al colon dell'uomo. Arch. ital. Mal. Appar. dig.36, 5 (1969).
Tobon, F., Ustach, T. J., Hambrecht, F. T., Bass, D. D., Schnaufer, L., Schuster, M. M.: Electrical recording from circular smooth muscle of rectum in humans. Gastroenterology54, 1304 (1968).
Ustach, T. J., Tobon, F., Hambrecht, T., Bass, D. D., Schuster, M. M.: Electrophysiologic aspects of human sphincter function. J. clin. Invest.49, 41 (1970).
Wankling, W. J., Brown, B. H., Collins, C. D., Duthie, H. L.: Basal electrical activity in the anal canal in man. Gut9, 457 (1968).
Weitz, W., Vollers, W.: Über rhythmische Kontraktionen der glatten Muskulatur an verschiedenen Organen (Magen, Darm, Harnblase, Scrotum, Penis, Uterus, Milz und Gefäße). Z. ges. exp. Med.52, 723 (1926).
Wienbeck, M.: The electrical activity of the cat colon in vivo. II. The effects of bethanechol and morphine. Res. exp. Med.158, 280 (1972).
Wienbeck, M., Christensen, J.: Cationic requirements of the colon slow wave in the cat. Amer. J. Physiol.220, 513 (1971).
Wienbeck, M., Christensen, J.: Effects of some drugs on electrical activity of the isolated colon of the cat. Gastroenterology61, 470 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported in part by “Professor Dr. Adolf Schmidtmann-Stiftung” and by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Wi 285/1.
I am greatly indebted to Dr. J. Christensen, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, for his invaluable support and his numerous helpful suggestions and to Dr. N. W. Weisbrodt, University of Texas, for his help and his advice.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wienbeck, M. The electrical activity of the cat colonin vivo . Res. Exp. Med. 158, 268–279 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01852210
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01852210