M2 muscarinoceptor-associated ionophore at the cat adrenal medulla.

Atropine and pirenzepine displaced 3H-quinuclydinyl-benzylate binding and inhibited methacholine-evoked catecholamine release with a similar order of potencies, atropine being 200 fold more potent than pirenzepine. In contrast to high-K, methacholine-evoked 45Ca uptake or catecholamine release were not blocked by (+)PN200-110. Bay-K-8644 did not modify the secretory response to methacholine either in the presence of Ca or Sr but potentiated K-evoked secretion. In depolarized glands, methacholine still evoked its usual secretory response. The results suggest that muscarinic stimulation of cat adrenal chromaffin cells stimulates Ca entry though an ionophore other than voltage-dependent Ca channels; such ionophore seems to be chemically operated through a M2 muscarinoceptor.