Effect of Biogenic Amines on Phagocytosis in Tetrahymena thermophila1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Stimulation of phagocytosis by serotonin and catecholamines in Tetrahymena grown in proteose-peptone medium proved to be concentration dependent, the optimal concentrations being .apprx. 0.1 to 1.0 .mu.M. The serotonergic antagonists, spiperone, and metergoline, also stimulated the process, whereas the .beta.- and .alpha.-adrenergic antagonists, propranolol, alprenolol, and ergocryptine, had no efect or inhibited phagocytosis. A wide variety of derivatives of the biogenic amines had no effect on phagocytosis, demonstrating the specificity of recognition mechanism for neurohormones in Tetrahymena. Such hormones act by at least two independent mechanisms, one for adrenergic agonists, another for dopamine. Presumably, recognition mechanisms for hormones in protozoa resemble in some respects those in multicellular organisms, therefore bespeaking a common origin.