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Action of FMRFamide on longitudinal muscle of the leech, Hirudo medicinalis

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Nerve terminals associated with longitudinal muscle in the leech show FMRFamide-like immuno-reactivity.

  2. 2.

    Structure-activity studies using FMRFamide analogs show that the C-terminal RFamide portion of the molecule is crucial for biological activity on leech longitudinal muscle.

  3. 3.

    The putative protease inhibitor FA (Phe-Ala) increases the peak tension produced by longitudinal muscle in response to superfused FMRFamide and the majority of its analogs, suggesting the presence of peripheral proteases capable of degrading RFamide peptides.

  4. 4.

    FMRFamide decreases the relaxation rate of neurally evoked contractions of longitudinal muscle. FA also decreases the relaxation rate of neurally evoked contractions.

  5. 5.

    Intact and isolated muscle cells respond to superfused FMRFamide with a conductance increase, that leads to depolarization and often with a delayed conductance decrease as the membrane potential is restored to resting levels.

  6. 6.

    The depolarizing response of isolated muscle cells to FMRFamide is dependent on external calcium.

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  1. Brian J. Norris

    Present address: Department of Zoology, University of California, 94705, Berkeley, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Emory University, 1555 Pierce Dr., 30322, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Brian J. Norris & Ronald L. Calabrese

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Norris, B.J., Calabrese, R.L. Action of FMRFamide on longitudinal muscle of the leech, Hirudo medicinalis . J Comp Physiol A 167, 211–224 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00188114

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