Secretion of K and fluid by rat submaxillary during sympathetic nerve stimulation

Stimulation of the sympathetic innervation to rat submaxillary gland is known to evoke saliva which contains high concentrations of potassium (130-160 meq/liter). Relationships were examined between salivary [K] and several parameters of the stimulation, including pulse frequency and duration of the stimulus train and rate of flow of the evoked saliva. Secretion of sympathetically evoked saliva was found to occur in two phases. After stimulation was started, flow rate was relatively high initially, and then decreased to a lower, relatively steady value. Initial and steady flow rates were maximal when stimulus frequency was 10 Hz. Salivary [K] was lowest initially, and, at that time, was inversely related to flow rate. At steady flow, [K] was flow independent. While salivary [K] was lower during initial than during steady secretion, the rate of K secretion was initially higher. During the initial phase, K decreased in the gland, and this decrease was sufficient to account for the increased amount of K secreted in initial saliva and for the increased initial flow.