Comparison of motor reactivity of the colonic muscularis mucosae isolated from human, guinea pig and rat in vitro.

We have compared the reactivity to spasmogens of longitudinal muscularis mucosae isolated from the human, guinea pig and rat colon in vitro. The muscularis mucosae isolated from the human distal colon responded with a sustained contractions to carbachol (10 nM-30 microM), in a concentration-dependent manner, and the maximum contraction was comparable to that with high potassium concentration (100 mM). Among several spasmogens, neurokinin A was the most potent with the following order of potency: carbachol, prostaglandin F2alpha and acetylcholine. Histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and bradykinin did not produce a recognizable contraction of this tissue. The muscularis mucosae isolated from the guinea pig distal colon demonstrated a concentration-dependent contraction in response to neurokinin A, carbachol, histamine and acetylcholine, but not to prostaglandin F2alpha or 5-hydroxytryptamine, and the maximum contraction was obtained with histamine. The muscularis mucosae from the rat distal colon was very sensitive to neurokinin A and bradykinin, less to carbachol and acetylcholine, and not at all sensitive to histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and prostaglandin F2alpha. It is concluded that the colonic muscularis mucosae respond to pharmacological agents in a species-different manner.