Purinergic cotransmission: sympathetic nerves

Abstract

During the past decade it has become clear that cotransmission is the rule rather than the exception in the autonomic nervous system. The role of ATP as a cotransmitter has been most extensively investigated in sympathetic nerves innervating smooth muscle preparations such as isolated vas deferens and arteries.

This article describes how the role of ATP as a sympathetic cotransmitter has been established by a combination of various experimental methods including classical organ bath pharmacology, electrophysiology and a variety of biochemical methods for measuring neurotransmitter release.