Atypical slow waves generated in gastric corpus provide dominant pacemaker activity in guinea pig stomach

• Published in: The Journal of physiology Vol. 569; no. 2; pp. 459 - 465
• Main Authors: Hashitani, Hikaru, Garcia‐Londoño, A. Pilar, Hirst, G. David S., Edwards, Frank R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 9600 Garsington Road , Oxford , OX4 2DQ , UK The Physiological Society 01.12.2005; Blackwell Science Ltd; Blackwell Science Inc
• Subjects: 4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid - pharmacology; Animals; Biological Clocks - physiology; Boron Compounds - pharmacology; Caffeine - pharmacology; Calcium - pharmacology; Cell Physiology; Chloride Channels - antagonists & inhibitors; Female; Gastric Emptying - physiology; Guinea Pigs; Male; Membrane Potentials - drug effects; Membrane Potentials - physiology; Muscle, Smooth - drug effects; Muscle, Smooth - innervation; Muscle, Smooth - physiology; Myenteric Plexus - physiology; Pyloric Antrum - innervation; Pyloric Antrum - physiology; Stomach - innervation; Stomach - physiology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0022-3751; 1469-7793
• DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2005.097907

When intracellular recordings were made from the circular layer of the intact muscular wall of the isolated guinea pig gastric corpus, an ongoing regular high frequency discharge of slow waves was detected even though this region lacked myenteric interstitial cells. When slow waves were recorded from preparations consisting of both the antrum and the corpus, slow waves of identical frequency, but with different shapes, were generated in the two regions. Corporal slow waves could be distinguished from antral slow waves by their time courses and amplitudes. Corporal slow waves, like antral slow waves, were abolished by buffering the internal concentration of calcium ions, [Ca 2+ ] i , to low levels, or by caffeine, 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate or the chloride channel blocker DIDS. Corporal preparations demonstrated an ongoing discharge of unitary potentials, as has been found in all other tissues containing interstitial cells. The experiments show that the corpus provides the dominant pacemaker activity which entrains activity in other regions of the stomach and it is suggested that this activity is generated by corporal intramuscular interstitial cells.