Prostaglandins and the contractility of the guinea pig biliary system

The effects of exogenously applied prostaglandins on the contractile responses of the gallbladder and sphincter of Oddi isolated from guinea pigs were examined in normal and indomethacin-treated preparations. Indomethacin reduced the tone and the contractile responses to transmural stimulation and to exogenously applied ACh of the gallbladder, while the tone and contractile responses of the sphincter of Oddi were little affected by indomethacin. Prostaglandins E1, E2 and F2 alpha potentiated the contractile responses of the gallbladder to transmural stimulation and ACh, and furthermore, treatment with indomethacin enhanced the potentiating effects of prostaglandins E1 and E2 but not the effect of PGF2 alpha. The reduced tone and contractility of the gallbladder were restored to the control level by addition of PGE1 and PGE2 but not by PGF2 alpha. These results suggest that endogenous PGE1 and PGE2 may play an important role in neurogenic control of contractility of the gallbladder, but not of the sphincter of Oddi.