Effect of full agonists following calcium deprivation in rat vas deferens

The contractile effects of maximum doses of adrenaline, noradrenaline, methacholine, acetylcholine, serotonin and barium chloride were studied following substitution of a medium without calcium for the normal nutrient solution. Except for the last agonist, the effects fall to about 10% within the first 3 min with prompt return to normal value upon reintroduction of regular fluid. This recovery is, however, slower if the previous incubation in Ca-free solution is prolonged. When barium chloride is used in a calcium-free medium, the maximum height of contractions falls exponentially at a t1/2 of about 180 min. This decay can be accelerated by giving successive 5-min doses of the agonist or by using EDTA. It is hypothesised that excitation--contraction coupling in rat vas deferens depends on at least two different calcium sources: a deep site associated with the effects of barium, and a superficial one, related to the other agonists. To explain the slow recovery after prolonged calcium lack, a third compartment in series with the latter is suggested. No indication is found that the biphasic effects of barium depend on two different calcium pools.