| Abstract: | Effects of alanine and glycine on the mechanical and electrical activities of guinea-pig taenia coli were investigated. Alanine (0.1--10 mM) and glycine (0.5--10 mM) produced a dose dependent contraction of guinea-pig taenia coli. The stimulating effects of alanine and glycine were not inhibited in the presence of atropine (5 muM), tetrodotoxin (0.1 micrograms/ml), diphenhydramine (4 muM), methysergide (3 muM), strychnine (10 muM), and were not influenced by treatment with indomethacin (3 muM). However, these effects were inhibited in the presence of a Ca antagonist, verapamil (10 muM). When the electrical activities of the taenia coli were recorded by the single sucrose-gap method, alanine and glycine (5--10 mM) produced a reduction of membrane potential and increased spike heights and frequencies of action potential. In LiCl or Choline-Cl and in Na-isethionate solutions, the stimulating effect of alanine was not abolished, but was completely inhibited in KCl-depolarized preparation. From these results, it is considered that both alanine and glycine may directly produce contraction by a depolarization of the cell membrane of guinea-pig taenia coli. |
