Stimulative Effect of Acetylcholine on the Adrenocortical Function of Isolated Perfused Calf Adrenals

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Abstract
ACh (2.7 x 10-5 M to 5.0 x 10-4 M) exerted an acute and direct stimulative effect on the adrenocortical function of isolated calf adrenals perfused with an artificial medium. Higher concentrations (5.0 x 10-3 M) failed to enhance the corticoid output. Physostigmine sensitized whereas atropine blocked the acceleration of steroid-ogenesis by ACh. The stimulative action is not attributable to its hydrolytic products or mobilization of epinephrine or nor-epinephrine from medullary tissue. It appears to be associated with the choline-acetate ester structure inasmuch as it is not possessed by carbachol, pilocarpine or nicotine - substances which elicit similar "muscarinic" and/or "nicotinic" responses in vivo.