Abstract
Denervation, decentralization and cocaine treatment of the dog nictitatung membrane increased its sensitivity to 5-hydroxytryptamune (5-HT) by about 10-fold. Cocaine treatment of the denervated dog membrane further enhanced its sensitivity to 5-HT. Denervation, decentralization and cocaine treatment increased the sensitivity of dog nictitating membrane to norepinephrine (NE) by 60-fold, 10-fold and 10-fold, respectively. Cocaine treatment of the decentralized dog membrane further enhanced its sensitivity to NE. Time courses of development of supersensitivity of the denervated cat nictitatung membrane to 5-HT and NE were identical. The time courses of decentralization supersensitivity to 5-HT and NE were also fairly similar. Supersensitivity of the nictitating membrane to 5-HT may be due to an impairment of its uptake at the adrenergic nerve terminals as well as to the changes occurring on the postsynaptic membrane after various procedures.
Footnotes
- Received January 19, 1970.
- Accepted June 15, 1970.
- © 1970, by The Williams & Wilkins Company
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