Actions of neuropeptide Y on innervated and denervated rat tail arteries.

1. Neuropeptide Y caused a dose-dependent contraction and depolarization of the smooth muscle of the rat tail artery. 2. 30 nM-neuropeptide Y increased the contraction caused by either nerve-released noradrenaline or smooth muscle action potentials. 3. 30 nM-neuropeptide Y did not change the amplitude or rate of rise of the smooth muscle action potential. It did not change the amplitude of small excitatory junction potentials, suggesting that it did not affect neurotransmitter release. 4. 30 nM-neuropeptide Y increased the contraction caused by exogenous noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and K in concentrations that gave submaximal contractions. It did not affect the response to higher concentrations that gave maximal or near-maximal contractions.