Degranulation of acinar cells in von Ebner's gland of the rat.

We investigated the effect of sympathetic agonists, parasympathetic muscarinic agonists and substance P on depletion of secretory granules in acinar cells of rat von Ebner's gland. Drugs were injected intraperitoneally at several different concentrations. Antagonists were given 15 minutes before injection of the agonist, and the extent of depletion of secretory granules in glandular acini was calculated using a computerized color image analyzer. The specific alpha 2-sympathetic agonist clonidine and the beta 1-sympathetic agonist dobutamine produced a depletion of secretory granules. When combined with injections of the alpha 2-sympathetic antagonist yohimbine and the beta 1-sympathetic antagonist acebutolol, depletion of secretory granules was blocked. The parasympathetic muscarinic agonist carbachol also produced a depletion of secretory granules. QNB blocked the depletion caused by carbachol, while atropine partially inhibited depletion. The specific M1-muscarinic agonist McN-A-343 caused some depletion, although there was no significant differences between it and the control. Complete depletion of the secretory granules was achieved by carbachol stimulation superimposed on substance P stimulation. We concluded that the activation of the sympathetic alpha 2- and beta 1-receptors, as well as the M2 (M2 beta)-muscarinic and substance P receptors, results in degranulation of acinar cells in von Ebner's gland of the rat.