Cholesterol-fed rabbits: study of the response of the vas deferens to adrenergic and non-adrenergic stimulus and to a kappa-opioid agonist.

The aim of the present study was to analyse the contractility of the isolated vas deferens from hypercholesterolaemic rabbits; for this purpose we evaluated the contractile response induced by noradrenaline and by electrical stimulation. A significant increase in the amplitude of adrenergic and non-adrenergic responses was observed in vas deferens from hypercholesterolaemic rabbits. These data suggest an increase in the contractility of the smooth muscle in these animals.