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Modulation of neuromuscular activity by 5-hydroxytryptamine and endogenous peptides in the snail,Helix aspersa

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Twitches produced by stimulation of the nerve leading to the pharyngeal retractor muscle (PRM) relax more rapidly after a tetanic stimulation.

  2. 2.

    Perfusion of the PRM with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) mimics this relaxing action. 5-HT is the only factor present in the PRM that causes an increase in twitch relaxation rate. When the 5-HT content of the PRM is reduced by pre-treatment with reserpine, the magnitude of the post-tetanic increase in relaxation rate is also reduced.

  3. 3.

    The post-tetanic increase in relaxation rate appears to require the activation of a specific serotonergic axon(s) since there is a discrete threshold for the effect.

  4. 4.

    Peptides derived from nervous and other tissues of the snail also modulate PRM activity.

  5. 5.

    One peptide (SCP) mimics the action of 5-HT, but is not present in the PRM.

  6. 6.

    A second peptide class (LCP), at concentrations similar to those found in the hemolymph, potentiates the amplitude of sub-maximal contractions of the PRM.

  7. 7.

    It was concluded that 5-HT and LCP are physiological modulators of PRM activity, while the significance of SCP's action is unknown.

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Abbreviations

ACh :

acetylcholine

ABRM :

anterior byssus retractor muscle

CNS :

central nervous system

5-HT :

5-hydroxytryptamine

LCP :

large cardioactive peptides

PRM :

pharyngeal retractor muscle

SCP :

small cardioactive peptide

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Philip E. Lloyd

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  1. Philip E. Lloyd
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Additional information

It wish to thank Drs. I. Deyrup-Olsen, J.W. Truman, and A.O.D. Willows for critical reading of the manuscript. The research was supported by NSF BNS-7906280.

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Lloyd, P.E. Modulation of neuromuscular activity by 5-hydroxytryptamine and endogenous peptides in the snail,Helix aspersa . J. Comp. Physiol. 139, 333–339 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610463

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610463

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