Affiliation:
1. Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Abstract
Distinguishing presynaptic and postsynaptic effects of neurohormones is a long-standing challenge in many model organisms. Here, postsynaptic actions of DPKQDFMRFamide are demonstrated by assessing its ability to potentiate contractions elicited by direct application of the neurotransmitter, glutamate, when axons are silent and when transmitter release is blocked. The peptide acts at multiple sites to increase contraction, increasing glutamate-induced depolarization at the cell membrane, acting on L-type channels, and acting downstream of calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
Funder
Gouvernement du Canada | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Publisher
American Physiological Society
Subject
Physiology,General Neuroscience