TY - JOUR T1 - Evidence that the P2x purinoceptor of the smooth muscle of the guinea pig vas deferens is an ATP4- receptor. JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther SP - 46 LP - 51 VL - 255 IS - 1 AU - J S Fedan AU - J P Dagirmanjian AU - M D Attfield AU - E W Chideckel Y1 - 1990/10/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/255/1/46.abstract N2 - In solutions containing Mg2+ and Ca2+, ATP is in equilibrium between the tetrabasic form (ATP4-) and its bidentate coordination complexes, i.e., MgATP2- and CaATP2-. We sought evidence to determine whether contractions of the smooth muscle of the guinea pig vas deferens to ATP are in response to ATP4- or its bidentate complexes. Contractions to ATP were elicited in seven modified Krebs-Henseleit solutions containing varied concentrations of free and total Mg2+ and Ca2+ to alter the concentration of ATP4- at given ATPtotal concentrations. As the concentration of Mg2+ increased the concentration of ATP required to stimulate contraction to an equivalent degree also increased. Regardless of the free or total Mg2+ and Ca2+ concentrations, response magnitude was generally correlated with [ATP4-]. This suggests that ATP4- is the agonist at the P2x purinoceptor of the guinea pig vas deferens. The potency of ATP4- is high; the threshold, occurring at approximately 1 nM ATP4-, is 1000-fold less than that for norepinephrine. The implications of ATP4- as agonist are discussed in relation to adenine nucleotide potency, metabolism and P2 purinoceptor classification. ER -