Drug Responses of Human Fetal Esophagus

Abstract

The drug-induced activity of human fetal esophageal preparations has been studied in vitro. The age of the fetuses was from 20 to 26 weeks. Both intact preparations and those of the separated muscularis mucosae have been used. All preparations responded similarly insofar as they contracted when either acetylcholine, pilocarpine, histamine, physostigmine or barium was added to the bath. Epinephrine inhibited spontaneous movement in both preparations and in addition relaxed intact preparations which had previously been stimulated with acetylcholine.