Contrasting effects of autonomic agents and prostaglandins on 22Na uptake in rat submandibular salivary acini.

Uptake of this isotopic tracer by the acini occurred in a time-dependent manner and was increased by 1 microM concentrations of acetylcholine and of isoproterenol, but not of prostaglandins E1, E2 and F2 alpha. The lack of effect of prostaglandins on Na transport in salivary acini contrasts with their inhibitory effect on salivation in vivo, suggesting that in vivo the effects are independent of the ion-transport mechanisms underlying saliva formation.