The
amylase release from mouse pancreatic fragments was studied after
dopamine (DA), and alpha- or beta-
sympathomimetic agonist application. The electrical parameters of the acinar cell membrane were also monitored. Both DA (from 5 X 10(-6) to 10(-4) M) and beta-stimulants (
isoprenaline from 5 X 10(-6) to 5 X 10(-5) M;
noradrenaline from 3 X 10(-4) to 10(-3) M) evoked an increase in
amylase release, while
noradrenaline in alpha-receptor stimulating doses failed to have any effect. The stimulatory effect of DA was blocked by
ganglion blockers (
Arfonad 10(-5) M;
pentamethonium 3 X 10(-5) M) in a competitive manner and a dual antagonism was observed with
atropine (10(-7) M, 10(-9) M). An alpha-receptor antagonist (
phentolamine 10(-5) M) and a beta-receptor antagonist (
propranolol 10(-5) M) had no influence on the
dopamine response. Moreover, the DA-induced stimulation was dependent on the presence of extracellular
calcium. Perfusion with 10(-4) and 10(-3) M-DA or local application (from 77 micrograms to 4.3 mg), resulted in marked membrane depolarization with diminution of the input resistance. This effect was blocked by
atropine (10(-5) M) and
pentamethonium (10(-4) M), but not by
propranolol (10(-5) M) or
phentolamine (10(-5) M). The
isoprenaline- (IP) and
noradrenaline- (NA) induced increase in
amylase release was competitively blocked by
propranolol (10(-5) M) but not by
phentolamine (10(-5) M).
Atropine caused a dose-dependent (10(-7) M, 10(-6) M) decrease in the maximal response (non-competitive antagonism), while the
ganglion blocker
pentamethonium (10(-4) M) was without effect. NA caused membrane depolarization accompanied by a decrease in the input resistance after local application (from 77 micrograms to 1.6 mg). This effect persisted in the presence of 10(-5) M-
phentolamine but was abolished by 10(-5) M-
propranolol. IP perfusion (10(-4) and 10(-3) M) or local application (0.3 M; from 32 to 130 micrograms) caused the same electrical changes as those induced by NA and DA. The effect of IP persisted in the presence of 10(-5) M-
phentolamine, 10(-4) M-
pentamethonium and 10(-4) M-
domperidone, but was abolished by
propranolol (10(-5) M) and
tetrodotoxin (5 X 10(-6) M) and markedly diminished by
atropine (10(-5) M).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)