Presynaptic regulation of the release of acetylcholine by 5-hydroxytryptamine

1 The effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on the release of acetylcholine (ACh) from bullfrog sympathetic preganglionic nerve terminals and frog sciatic nerve terminals was studied with intra-cellular microelectrodes. 2 The change in transmitter release was measured from the mean quantal content calculated by the variance method from evoked fast e.p.s.ps or e.p.ps in low Ca2+-high Mg2+ Ringer solution. 3 5-HT facilitated the release of ACh in low concentrations and depressed it in relatively high concentrations at both preganglionic and motor nerve terminals. 4 These results suggest the possibility that 5-HT may play a role in regulating cholinergic transmission in general.