| Abstrakt: |
The cellular localization of cholinergic binding sites was studied in organotypic cultures of rat spinal cord and brain stem by means of autoradiography with radiolabelled muscarinic and nicotinic agonists and antagonists. Many astrocytes in both types of cultures showed intense labelling by H-acetylcholine in the presence of nicotine and the muscarinic antagonists H-pirenzepine, H-quinuclidinyl benzilate and H-propylbenzilcholine mustard. Incubation of the cultures with H-nicotine or H-acetylcholine in the presence of atropine also caused labelling of astrocytes. In addition to glial cells, many neurones showed binding of muscarinic and nicotinic agonists and antagonists. From our results it is suggested that astrocytes, besides neurones, possess both muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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