Developmental changes in agonist-mediated colonic smooth muscle contraction in the rabbit

We studied smooth muscle strips from rabbit distal colon to determine age-related changes in length-tension properties and agonist-mediated contraction. Strips from newborn (1-d-old) and weanling (11-wk-old) rabbits were oriented to measure isometric tension in longitudinal muscle. Active tension comprised 47 +/- 4 and 75 +/- 5% of the total tension in the newborn and weanling, respectively. Total and active tensions in the weanling were greater than in the newborn (p less than 0.001). Although the potencies for bethanechol were similar, the maximal response was nearly 9-fold greater in weanlings (6900 +/- 292 mN/cm2) versus newborns (753 +/- 112 mN/cm2), p less than 0.001. Maximal stress increased with age for bethanechol, high extracellular potassium, substance P, neurokinin A, cholecystokinin octapeptide, bombesin, and serotonin. ED50 for bethanechol, substance P, neurokinin A, and bombesin did not change with age. Serotonin was 12 times more potent in newborns versus weanlings (p less than 0.05). In contrast, cholecystokinin octapeptide was five times less potent in newborns (18.6 nM versus 3.4 nM, respectively, p less than 0.05). Substance P-induced contractions were inhibited partially by atropine. We conclude that length-tension properties of longitudinal colonic smooth muscle differ, and responses to agonists increase with age.