Electrophysiological studies of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors on enteric neurons

Enteric nerves express multiple receptors for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Three excitatory and 1 inhibitory receptor for 5-HT can be identified using electrophysiological methods. The excitatory receptors are the 5-HT1P, 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 subtypes. The 5-HT1P mediates slow depolarizations (> 10 s duration) of many enteric nerves and 5-HT1P receptors mediate some slow excitatory synaptic potentials. The 5-HT3 receptor is a ligand-gated cation channel that mediates fast depolarizations (< 2 s). The 5-HT4 receptor mediates presynaptic facilitation of fast excitatory neurotransmission. The inhibitory receptor is the 5-HT1A receptor. 5-HT1A receptors mediate hyperpolarizations in AH neurons and presynaptic inhibition of fast and slow excitatory neurotransmission.