Postganglionic stimulation activates synaptic potentials in cat bladder parasympathetic neurons

Innervation of bladder and bowel

The autonomic neuromuscular junction is described and neurotransmission, co-transmission and neuromodulation are defined, as well as the 'chemical coding' of sympathetic, parasympathetic, sensory-motor and intrinsic neurons in the wall of the bladder and bowel. A detailed description of the patterns of innervation of smooth muscle of the bowel, bladder and urethra and of the urethral and anal sphincters by intramural and extrinsic autonomic nerves is presented, and the functional and pharmacological features of this innervation are summarized. Finally, changes in the pattern of innervation and expression of co-transmitters and receptors in the bladder and bowel that occur during development and old age and following trauma, surgery and disease are discussed.

Neuropeptides and neurotransmitter-synthesizing enzymes in intrinsic neurons of the human urinary bladder

The expression of neuropeptides, and the enzymes nitric oxide synthase and tyrosine hydroxylase were examined in intramural ganglia of human urinary bladder using single label immunocytochemistry. Scattered ganglia composed of between 1-36 neurons (median 4) were observed in all layers of the lateral wall of the bladder. These contained immunoreactivity to vasoactive intestinal peptide, nitric oxide synthase, neuropeptide Y, and galanin. Neurons within the bladder were heterogeneous with regard to their content of these antigens, with the proportion of immunopositive cells ranging from 58-84%. Occasional neurons with immunoreactivity to the catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase, were also observed. No cell somata, however, were immunoreactive for enkephalin, substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide or somatostatin. Varicose terminals entering the ganglia were seen to form pericellular baskets surrounding some of the principal ganglion cells. The most prominent pericellular varicosities were those containing calcitonin gene-related peptide- or vasoactive intestinal peptide-immunoreactivity, followed by those with immunoreactivity for enkephalin, neuropeptide Y, or galanin. Less common were pericellular varicosities with substance P-immunoreactivity, which may represent collateral processes of unmyelinated primary sensory fibres, and presumptive noradrenergic processes containing tyrosine hydroxylase. Some calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive varicosities constituted a distinct type, terminating as large pericellular boutons 2-4 microns in diameter. Fibres containing nitric oxide synthase- or somatostatin-immunoreactivity were not associated with the intramural neurons. The results demonstrate that intrinsic neurons within the human urinary bladder express a number of neuroactive chemicals, and could in principle form circuits with the potential to support integrative activity.

Intracellular recordings from pancreatic ganglia of the cat

1. The anatomy, morphology, and electrophysiology of parasympathetic ganglia of cat pancreas were studied in vitro. 2. Pancreatic ganglia existed as an interconnected plexus of small ganglia (ten to fifty cells) lying in the interlobular connective tissue. Occasionally smaller ganglia (four to ten cells) were observed lying on or within nerve trunks. 3. Electron micrographs revealed the presence of neurones and satellite cells as well as unmyelinated axons and nerve terminals. Nerve terminals contained small clear vesicles and/or large, dense-cored vesicles. 4. Intracellular recording of electrical activity revealed the presence of two types of ganglion cells. Type I ganglion cells exhibited resting membrane potentials that ranged from -40 to -63 mV and input resistances that ranged from 8 to 168 M omega. They responded to intracellular depolarizing current with action potentials, and received synaptic inputs which when activated caused fast and slow depolarizing responses. Type I cells were considered to be ganglionic neurones. Type II ganglion cells had higher resting membrane potentials that ranged from -61 to -83 mV, lower input resistances that ranged from 5 to 83 M omega and were electrically unexcitable. Repetitive stimulation of preganglionic nerves evoked a slow depolarization that was frequency dependent. Type II cells were considered to be satellite cells. 5. Stimulation of nerve trunks both central and peripheral to the ganglia evoked multiple, subthreshold, fast EPSPs in all type I cells tested. Fast EPSPs were blocked by the nicotinic antagonist hexamethonium. 6. Antidromic potentials were also observed following stimulation of either central or peripheral nerve trunks but never both. 7. In type I cells repetitive stimulation of both central and peripheral nerve trunks resulted in a slow, synaptically mediated depolarization which persisted during superfusion with nicotinic and muscarinic receptor antagonists. 8. Periods of low-frequency, spontaneous fast EPSPs and action potentials were observed in all type I cells tested. 9. It was concluded that parasympathetic neurones in cat pancreatic ganglia receive convergent fast and slow synaptic inputs from central and possibly peripheral sources and may function in vivo as sites of integration. The occurrence of spontaneous synaptic potentials in pancreatic ganglia suggests the possibility of intrinsic neural control of pancreatic function.

Synaptic potentials induced by postganglionic stimulations in cat bladder parasympathetic neurones

Intracellular recording techniques were used to examine and compare synaptic potentials evoked by stimulating pre- and postganglionic nerve trunks in cat bladder parasympathetic ganglia. In the 76 ganglion cells examined, two types of responses were recorded on stimulating the postganglionic nerve: an antidromic action potential (type PostNS1; n = 30) or a fast excitatory postsynaptic potential (f-EPSP; type PostNS2; n = 46) which resulted in an orthodromic-like action potential. In some of the cells exhibiting a PostNS1 response (n = 19), a fast depolarization was superimposed on the antidromic spike. This depolarization was due to the synaptic activation of nicotinic receptors. In many of the cells exhibiting either PostNS1 or PostNS2 responses, repetitive stimulation of the postganglionic nerve induced a slow hyperpolarization. Applying nicotinic (hexamethonium, 0.5-1 mM) receptor muscarinic (atropine, 1 microM), alpha-adrenergic (phentolamine, 1 microM) and purinergic (caffeine, 0.5-1 mM) receptor antagonists completely inhibited the tetanus-induced slow hyperpolarization in some cells (n = 5). In other cells (n = 15), a slow hyperpolarization persisted in the presence of these antagonists. These results indicate that stimulation of the postganglionic nerve trunk of cat bladder parasympathetic ganglia can elicit not only an antidromic action potential, but also synaptic potentials which are mediated by the activation of cholinergic (nicotinic and muscarinic), noradrenergic and purinergic receptors, as well as non-cholinergic, non-alpha-adrenergic and non-purinergic synaptic potential.

Fast hyperpolarization following an excitatory postsynaptic potential in cat bladder parasympathetic neurons

Intracellular recording techniques were used to study a fast hyperpolarizing potential following the fast excitatory postsynaptic potential evoked by an orthodromic nerve stimulation in cat bladder parasympathetic ganglion cells. In the 61 ganglion cells examined, two types of responses were recorded on stimulating the preganglionic nerve; one had only a fast excitatory postsynaptic potential (type SI, n = 20) and the other had a fast excitatory postsynaptic potential followed by a fast hyperpolarizing potential (type SII, n = 41). In type SII neurons, the half-maximum duration of the afterhyperpolarizing potential following an orthodromic spike was longer than that of a direct spike produced by injecting a depolarizing current pulse through the recording electrode; the half-maximum durations for afterhyperpolarizing potentials following orthodromic and direct action potentials were comparable in type SI cells. Blocking the initiation of an orthodromic spike by hyperpolarizing the membrane in type SII cells revealed a fast excitatory postsynaptic potential followed by a fast hyperpolarizing potential which was similar to that observed at the resting potential. The fast hyperpolarizing potential had a duration comparable to that of an afterhyperpolarizing potential following an orthodromic action potential. The fast excitatory postsynaptic potential-fast hyperpolarizing potential sequence was blocked completely and reversibly by nicotinic receptor antagonists (hexamethonium and D-tubocurarine). Atropine, alpha-2 noradrenergic (yohimbine and phentolamine), and purinergic (caffeine) antagonists had no effect on the fast hyperpolarizing potential. In cells which show type SII responses, spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials were not followed by a hyperpolarization. Depolarizing the membrane (by passing a cathodal current through the recording electrode) to an amplitude comparable to that of a fast excitatory postsynaptic potential also did not elicit a membrane hyperpolarization in type SII cells. In some cells, stimulating one preganglionic nerve trunk elicited a fast hyperpolarizing potential, but activating another nerve trunk innervating the same ganglion cell did not. There was no correlation between the variations in the amplitudes of the fast excitatory postsynaptic potential and the fast hyperpolarizing potential in type SII cells, but increasing the stimulus intensity applied to the presynaptic nerve fiber potentiated the amplitude of the fast excitatory postsynaptic potential and the fast hyperpolarizing potential. The fast hyperpolarizing potential was not associated with appreciable changes in input resistance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Soman enhances nicotinic depolarizations, and depresses muscarinic hyperpolarizations in parasympathetic neurons

Intracellular recording techniques were used to study the action of an irreversible anticholinesterase, soman, on cholinergic transmission in cat bladder parasympathetic neurons. With soman (0.1-10 microM) treatment, nicotinic depolarizations were increased in amplitude and prolonged in duration, whereas muscarinic hyperpolarizations showed either a depressed amplitude and prolonged duration, or were completely blocked. These data suggest that the final result of soman action is different at nicotinic and muscarinic receptor-channel complexes in parasympathetic neurons.