Summary
The isolated head preparation of the toadfish,Opsanus beta, perfused at constant flow rate was used to investigate the branchial vasoactive responses of the fish to adrenergic and cholinergic agonists. The perfused head maintained a relatively consistent and near in vivo branchial vascular resistance for periods of at least 8 h.
Adrenergic stimulation of the isolated head produced a vasodilatory response acting via alpha and beta adrenergic receptor sites. However, the alpha adrenoceptor-mediated (vasoconstrictory) response was not observed before the dominant beta adrenoceptor-mediated (vasodilatory) response.
Carbachol caused an increase in perfusion pressure which was inhibited by atrophine; thus indicating that the carbachol effect was via muscarinic receptors. The vasoconstrictory response to carbachol, unlike that of acetylcholine persisted even after withdrawal of the drug apparently due to its strong binding to receptor sites and relatively low susceptibility to attack by acetylcholinesterase.
Carbachol and adrenaline influenced each other's individual vasoactive effects thus indicating a possible interaction between sympathetic and parasympathetic neurotransmitters in the regulation of branchial vasomotor tone and, consequently, branchial vascular haemodynamics.
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Oduleye, S.O., Claiborne, J.B. & Evans, D.H. The isolated, perfused head of the toadfish,Opsanus beta . J Comp Physiol B 149, 107–113 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00735721
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00735721