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Does substance P mediate slow synaptic excitation within the myenteric plexus?

Abstract

THE widespread distribution of substance P within neurones of the central1–6 and peripheral7–9 nervous systems has led to the suggestion that it may be an important modulator of neuronal function. Although when applied by microiontophoresis10–14 substance P usually excites central neurones, this excitation is rather slow and this may not be appropriate to the role of a rapidly acting neurotransmitter11. In this report we show substance P to have a powerful depolarising action on the membrane of myenteric neurones and that this is brought about primarily by an inactivation of resting potassium conductance. Furthermore, in several neurones we have observed synaptically evoked depolarisations which have a time course and ionic mechanism similar to the depolarisations produced by substance P. This is of particular interest in view of the evidence that the myenteric plexus contains substance P within nerve terminals and varicosities8,9.

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KATAYAMA, Y., NORTH, R. Does substance P mediate slow synaptic excitation within the myenteric plexus?. Nature 274, 387–388 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/274387a0

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