An In Vitro Evaluation of Possible Cholinergic and Adrenergic Receptors Affecting Pancreatic Amylase Secretion

Abstract

Mouse pancreatic cells were cultured in vitro to study the effects of a number of cholinergic and adrenergic agonists on amylase release. Acetylcholine, carbamylcholine and methylcholine all induced similar patterns of amylase release with smaller responses at higher concentrations. The rate of nicotinic and adrenergic receptors in the control of secretion in in vitro studies rule out the affects of neural and circulatory control. All tests show a muscarinic nature of the cholinergic receptor mediating amylase release with no evidence for adrenergic or nicotinic receptors.