Action of 5-hydroxytryptamine on intestinal ion transport in the rat

J Physiol. 1981 Nov:320:41-55. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013933.

Abstract

1. 5-HT increased the electrical activity of rat jejunum both in vivo and in vitro. The increased potential difference and short-circuit current resulted from a stimulation of electrogenic chloride secretion. NaCl absorption may also have been inhibited. 2. 5-HT did not alter cyclic AMP levels in isolated enterocytes. 3. The 5-HT response in vivo was unaffected by atropine, cyproheptadine, propranolol and hexamethonium. Phenoxybenzamine reduced the maximum response without affecting the dose required to produce a 50% maximum response. Methysergide, at a dose of 40 mg/kg, had a similar effect while a lower dose of 2 mg/kg produced no change. Mianserin competitively antagonized the response to 5-HT, a dose of 2 mg/kg producing a fourfold increase in the amount of 5-HT required to produce a 50% maximum response. 4. Acetylcholine and 5-HT seem to act independently in inducing intestinal secretion since atropine did not block the response to 5-HT and Mianserin did not alter the response to acetylcholine. 5. Experiments in which the intestinal villi or crypts were subjected to preferential damage suggested that 5-HT primarily produced its response at the crypt cell level.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport / drug effects
  • Chlorides / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Jejunum / drug effects
  • Jejunum / physiology*
  • Male
  • Membrane Potentials / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Serotonin / pharmacology*
  • Serotonin Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Sodium / metabolism

Substances

  • Chlorides
  • Serotonin Antagonists
  • Serotonin
  • Sodium
  • Cyclic AMP