Noncholinergic control of adrenal catecholamine secretion

It has been known for over 70 years that adrenal catecholamine secretion can be modulated or elicited by noncholinergic neurotransmitters and hormones. However, our understanding of the cellular mechanisms by which these agents produce their effects and the physiological conditions under which they act are not well characterised. Here we briefly review the mechanisms by which one such agent (the neuropeptide substance P) modulates the cholinergic secretory response of adrenal chromaffin cells, and another agent (angiotensin II) elicits catecholamine secretion independently of the cholinergic innervation.