Autonomic Receptor Function in the Lower Urinary Tract of Man and Cat

Abstract

Autonomic receptor function was studied in vitro in smooth muscle strips from the lower urinary tract of children and cats. In strips from the dome of the bladder, cholinergic and β-adrenergic, but no α-adrenergic receptor function was demonstrated. In the bladder base as well as in the proximal urethra cholinergic and both α- and β-adrenergic receptors were found. This suggests that the sympathetic nervous system can subserve relaxation in the dome of the bladder and both contraction and relaxation in the bladder base as well as in the proximal urethra.