Acetylcholine stimulates muscle contraction in guinea pig ileum and atropine diminishes the extent of this contraction An agonist

is a molecule that binds to a cell receptor and triggers a response in that cell. Antagonists are molecules that when bound to a cell receptor, block or diminish the effect of an agonist. Many physiological events occur as a result of agonist and antagonist activity. Acetylcholine is one of the major agonists of the mammalian nervous system. It is a neurotransmitter in both the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system.

ACh can act on nicotinic receptors (nAChrs) and muscarinic (mAChrs) receptors, respectively named so because nicotine and muscarine mimic the actions of ACh on these receptors . NACHrs are ionotropic receptors that do not rely on second messengers. They are ligand gated ion channels that when bound by ACh, undergo a conformational change which allows the influx of Na+ ions. MAChrs are G protein coupled metabotropic receptors that are found on plasma membranes. ACh acts on mAChrs to ultimately increase the concentration of intracellular calcium, which facilitates muscle contraction (Berridge, 2008).

The ileum is the final and longest section of the small intestine; some of its functions include the absorption of Vit B12 and the reuptake of salts. Studies suggest that muscles of the GI tract are controlled by the enteric nervous system (Abato et al., 2007; Furness, 2000). Muscarinic receptors are found on the surface of smooth muscle cells in the circular and longitudinal muscle layer of the GI tract (Stephens et al., 2010).

The following study examined the contractile response of guinea pig ileum to ACh and the extent to which an antagonist atropine diminishes this response. Guinea pig ileum was suspended in an organ bath and various doses of ACh were administered. The contractile response was measured by an isotonic transducer.

References: Berridge M. (2008). Smooth muscle cell calcium activation mechanisms. The Journal of Physiology. 586: 5047-5050 Furness JB. (2000). Types of neurons in the enteric nervous system. Journal of the Autonomic Nervous System. 81: 87-96 Harrington AM, Hutson JM, Southwell BR. (2010). Cholinergic neurotransmission and muscarinic receptors in the enteric nervous system. Progress in Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 44: 172-174