Evidence for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide as a neurotransmitter in smooth muscle of the urogenital tract

J. C. Hunter, J. E. Maggio, P. W. Mantyh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the anococcygeus muscle of the rat, rabbit and cat was investigated by radioimmunoassay and immunohistochemistry. High concentrations of VIP-like immunoreactivity were found in the anococcygeus muscle of all 3 species. VIP-like immunoreactivity was observed in a network of nerve fibres branching throughout the muscle which were unaffected by treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine. VIP, when applied exogenously to isolated preparations of the anococcygeus, produced dose-related relaxations of tone in all 3 species with a time course and maximum response similar to non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic inhibitory nerve stimulation. These observations provide further evidence in support of VIP as a suitable candidate for the non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic inhibitory neurotransmitter in the anococcygeus muscle.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)221-229
Number of pages9
JournalBrain Research
Volume305
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 9 1984

Keywords

  • anococcygeus muscle
  • non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic inhibitory nerves
  • vasoactive intestinal polypeptide

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuroscience(all)
  • Molecular Biology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Developmental Biology

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