STUDY OF EFFECTS OF P-CHLOROMERCURIBENZENE SULFONIC-ACID ON ACETYLCHOLINE-INDUCED RESPONSES OF MOLLUSCAN NEURONS

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 198  (1) , 146-154
Abstract
The effects of the organic mercurial p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonic acid (PCMBS) on the acetylcholine receptors of 2 types of neurons from the marine gastropod Anisodorus nobilis were studied. Cell types were distinguished by the ion-specific conductance change resulting from applied cholinergic agents: in certain cells a conductance increase to Cl resulted (Cl-neurons); in other cells a cation conductance increase resulted (D cells). Exposure of the Cl-neurons to 1 mM PCMBS at 4.degree. C had 2 distinct effects: The sensitivity of the membrane conductance to microelectrophoretically applied carbamylcholine was blocked in a few minutes; and the membrane conductance slowly increased with an inversion potential which was the same as that of the cholinergically induced response. d-Tubocurarine did not appreciably reduce this conductance increase. However, applying carbamylcholine during the exposure period to PCMBS reduced the PCMBS response. The cholinergic response of D cells was affected to a much lesser degree by PCMBS.

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