Longitudinal contraction of isolated guinea-pig ileum induced by rapid cooling

1. Rapid change of bath temperature from 37 degrees C to 27 degrees C and vice versa caused longitudinal contraction of the isolated guinea-pig ileum. 2. Tetrodotoxin, tropicamide, noradrenaline, isoprenaline, morphine, and the met-enkephalin analogue FK 33-824 depressed the responses or accelerated the fade of the contraction induced by rapid cooling when added after the response had reached its maximum. 3. Hexamethonium had no influence on the responses. 4. Physostigmine potentiated all responses and reversed the fade of contraction induced by rapid cooling when added after this contraction had reached its maximum. 5. The effects of rapid cooling or warming were not altered in preparations made tachyphylactic to substance P; the response to rapid warming, but not cooling, was partially inhibited under tachyphylaxis to 5-hydroxytryptamine. 6. Antazoline, phentolamine, naloxone, and indomethacin did not block the responses. 7. Capsaicin firt potentiated and subsequently depressed the responses to both rapid cooling and warming. 8. The results indicate that rapid change of bath temperature induces longitudinal contraction by excitation of postganglionic cholinergic fibres.