Chemical transmission between rat sympathetic neurons and cardiac myocytes developing in microcultures: evidence for cholinergic, adrenergic, and dual-function neurons

Abstract

Electrophysiological studies were made on microcultures (300-500 mum in diameter) in which solitary sympathetic principal neurons from newborn rats grew on previously dissociated rat heart cells. Some neurons inhibited,some excited, and others first inhibited and then excited the cardiac myocytes. Application of drugs provided evidence for secretion of acetylcholine by the first group, catecholamines by the second, and both acetylcholine and catecholamines by the third. Solitary neurons which inhibited themyocytes usually excited themselves at nicotinic synapses (autapses).