Ovine fetal urachus--physiological and hormonal control of its contractile activity

We have investigated whether the ovine fetal urachus near term has the potential to regulate the passage of urine from the bladder into the allantoic cavity. Experiments were performed primarily on longitudinal urachal muscle. In Krebs bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4 bubbled with 95% O2-5% CO2 at 37 degrees C) the urachus spontaneously developed a prolonged elevated resting tension (RT, 1.1-1.5 g). Intra-abdominal urachus showed a greater development of tension than extra-abdominal urachus, which was associated with the amount of smooth muscle observed in histological specimens. Isoproterenol (1 microM) produced a significant reversible reduction in RT (1.36 +/- 0.15 to 0.67 +/- 0.08 g, P less than 0.01, mean +/- SE). Replacement of normal-O2 buffer (PO2 420.4 +/- 19.5 mmHg) with a low-O2 buffer (PO2 101.3 +/- 4.7 mmHg), or very low-O2 buffer (PO2 38.2 +/- 2.2 mmHg) while maintaining PCO2 and pH constant, produced a reduction in RT (from 1.35 +/- 0.21 to 0.52 +/- 0.13 g and from 1.20 +/- 0.17 to 0.46 +/- 0.04 g, respectively; both P less than 0.01). This effect was reversed when high PO2 was reinstated. Circular muscle showed a similar response when PO2 was reduced. The urachus showed a significant increase in RT (0.74 +/- 0.08 to 1.71 +/- 0.28 g, P less than 0.01) when prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha; 10 microM) was added to the low-O2 buffer. These results demonstrate that the urachus can develop spontaneous contractile activity and responds to alterations in O2, a beta-agonist, and PGF2 alpha.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)