Abstract
Previously unrecognised, nerve-mediated relaxation in pig and human detrusor muscle is described. The relaxation was mediated via non-cholinergic, non-adrenergic and non-prostaglandin transmitter or modulator systems and was present in 12 of 15 detrusor strips from six pigs and in four of 15 detrusor strips from seven patients. A contractile phase preceded relaxation in all strips; in contrast to the contractile phase, relaxation was augmented by an increase in basal tension in a complex way and possibly by the slowest stimulation frequencies.