A novel non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic nerve-mediated relaxation of the pig bladder neck: an examination of possible neurotransmitter candidates.

Electrical field stimulation of the isolated pig bladder neck preparation initiated rapid non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic nerve-mediated relaxations. A wide range of substances were examined as possible candidates for the neurotransmitter involved. Of these, only 5-hydroxytryptamine, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, adenosine and adenosine 5'-triphosphate produced relaxations. Noradrenaline, acetylcholine, substance P, bradykinin and angiotensin II caused contraction, while neurotensin, somatostatin, bombesin and gamma-amino butyric acid were without effect. The nerve response was not blocked by methysergide, ketanserin, chymotrypsin, apamin or 8-phenyltheophylline, although methysergide antagonised the responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine, chymotrypsin blocked the responses to VIP, and 8-phenyltheophylline antagonised the responses to adenosine and ATP.