Atrial natriuretic factor suppresses M-current in frog but not in rat sympathetic neurones

The effects of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) were investigated on rat and bullfrog sympathetic ganglia. Although there was little effect on neurones from rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG), B-cells in bullfrog paravertebral ganglia (BFSG) were depolarized. This depolarization was often associated with an increase in excitability and suppression of a voltage-dependent K+ current, the M-current (IM). ANF did not affect the amplitude of the nicotinic EPSP in either ganglion.