Lateral nasal gland secretion in the anaesthetized dog

The effects of pharmacological and nervous stimuli on the flow of secretion from the dog lateral nasal gland following catheterization are described. Drugs were injected close-arterially into the arterial supply to the nose, or intravenously. Cholinergic agonists (pilocarpine, methacholine), given intravenously (I.V.) or intra-arterially (I.A.), and stimulation of the vidian nerve produced a copious flow of secretion which was blocked by atropine. The adrenoceptor agonists phenylephrine (alpha) and salbutamol (beta 2), given I.V. or I.A., and stimulation of the vagosympathetic nerve produced a small but consistent flow of secretion. Histamine (50 micrograms), substance P (0.1 micrograms) and prostaglandin E1 (1-5 micrograms), injected I.A., produced small flows of secretion. Bradykinin (25 ng-50 micrograms), 5-hydroxytryptamine (100 ng-50 micrograms) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) (10 ng-50 micrograms) did not cause secretion. The total protein content, the composition of secretions as revealed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide agarose gel electrophoresis, and changes in [Na] and [K] in relation to flow of secretion are described. Differences in ion and protein concentrations, and in protein composition, are described for vidian nerve-induced and vagosympathetically induced secretions. Electron microscopy revealed that the gland contains serous cells in the secretory region, and ducts morphologically similar to the intercalated, striated and excretory ducts of salivary glands.