Electrophysiological and pharmacological characteristics of buccal smooth muscle of the pest slug Deroceras reticulatum |
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Authors: | T J Wright H Huddart |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biological Sciences, I.E.N.S., Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, England, UK e-mail: H.Huddart@lancaster.ac.uk Tel.: +44-1524-65201; Fax: +44-1524-843854, GB |
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Abstract: | Buccal mass muscle of the pest slug Deroceras reticulatum was examined by conventional tension recording and the sucrose-gap electrophysiological technique. Elevated potassium salines
induced dose-dependent depolarisations accompanied by tonic contractures with superimposed rapid twitch contractions. The
latter were suppressed at over 40 mmol · l−1 external potassium, where depolarisation-induced inactivation of voltage-sensitive calcium channels may have occurred. Acetylcholine
caused significant dose-dependent depolarisations and tonic contractures, while 5-hydroxy tryptamine induced lower depolarisations
accompanied by phasic contractile activity superimposed on low level tonic force. Of the purines examined only guanosine triphosphate
caused significant mechanical activity above a threshold of 0.1 μmol · l−1. The tetrapeptides inhibited buccal muscle spontaneous activity, but the related small cardioactive peptide B was weakly
excitatory. The amino acids glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid were weakly excitatory on buccal muscle while the molluscicides
metaldehyde and methiocarb disrupted normal mechanical activity of the feeding musculature. Acetylcholine and 5-hydroxytryptamine
appear to have major roles in regulating feeding muscle activity, seemingly modulated by guanosine triphosphate and inhibited
by phenylalanine-methionine-arginine-phenylalanine-NH2 and phenylalanine-leucine-arginine-phenylalanine-NH2.
Accepted: 22 July 1999 |
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Keywords: | Acetylcholine Deroceras reticulatum FMRFamide FLRFamide GTP 5-Hydroxytryptamine Metaldehyde Methiocarb Sucrose Gap |
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