spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sanchez, M. E.
Right arrow Articles by Augustine, G. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sanchez, M. E.
Right arrow Articles by Augustine, G. J.

Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 152, Issue 1 369-387, Copyright © 1990 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Contractions of the squid stellate ganglion

ME Sanchez, CM Nuno, J Buchanan and GJ Augustine
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-2520.

Optical recording methods were used to characterize the intrinsic movements of squid stellate ganglia. Ganglionic contractions were rhythmic and occurred at a mean frequency of 8 min-1. Contractions were eliminated when Na+ in the external saline were replaced by Tris, but were only slowed when Na+ was replaced by sucrose. This suggests that Na+ plays some role in generating the contractions, but the complete abolition produced by Tris-containing saline may be due to a secondary pharmacological action of this ion. The Na+ channel blocker, tetrodotoxin, had no effect on contractions. Contractions were eliminated by removal of external Ca2+, by treatment with the inorganic Ca2+ channel blockers Mn2+ and Cd2+, or by treatment with the organic dihydropyridine Ca2+ channel blockers nitrendipine and nimodipine. Thus, extracellular Ca2+ plays an important role in generating the contractions. Because dihydropyridines eliminate contractions, but not synaptic transmission, they offer a means of studying transmission at the giant synapse of the stellate ganglion without having to contend with ganglionic movement. Electron microscopy of stellate ganglia revealed the presence of two types of cell that contained the organized arrays of cytoskeletal elements usually associated with contractile cells. One type was a pericyte that surrounded blood vessels within the stellate ganglion. The second type was distributed throughout the ganglion and resembled a smooth muscle cell. Either of these cell types might generate ganglionic contractions.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Biol. Chem.Home page
J. R. Morgan, K. Prasad, S. Jin, G. J. Augustine, and E. M. Lafer
Eps15 Homology Domain-NPF Motif Interactions Regulate Clathrin Coat Assembly during Synaptic Vesicle Recycling
J. Biol. Chem., August 29, 2003; 278(35): 33583 - 33592.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurosci.Home page
J. R. Morgan, K. Prasad, W. Hao, G. J. Augustine, and E. M. Lafer
A Conserved Clathrin Assembly Motif Essential for Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis
J. Neurosci., December 1, 2000; 20(23): 8667 - 8676.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurosci.Home page
J. R. Morgan, X. Zhao, M. Womack, K. Prasad, G. J. Augustine, and E. M. Lafer
A Role for the Clathrin Assembly Domain of AP180 in Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis
J. Neurosci., December 1, 1999; 19(23): 10201 - 10212.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
S. Hess, P. Doroshenko, and G. Augustine
A functional role for GTP-binding proteins in synaptic vesicle cycling
Science, February 19, 1993; 259(5098): 1169 - 1172.
[Abstract] [PDF]


© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1990