Pharmacological characterization of serotonin receptor induced by rat brain messenger RNA in Xenopus oocytes

Serotonin receptors incorporated in the membrane of Xenopus oocytes injected with mRNA extracted from the rat brain was investigated by intracellular recording. Serotonin elicited the membrane depolarization accompanied with membrane potential fluctuations. This serotonin action was suppressed by serotonin antagonists such as methysergide, cyproheptadine and ketanserin. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP and papaverine depolarized the membrane as seen in applying serotonin. These observations indicate that serotonin actions might involve the cAMP system.