Cholinergic action of homogenates of sea urchin pedicellariae.

A dialyzable, acetylcholine-like material exists in homogenates of globiferous pedicellariae of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus. Its pharmacological characterization was obtained on the basis of the responses of the guinea pig ileum, the rat uterus, blood pressure in the dog, the amphibian heart, the longitudinal muscle of the holothurian, and the protractor muscle of the sea urchin lantern. Some of the data were statistically treated, and an attempt was made to determine a ratio of potency between the homogenates and acetylcholine.