[Vascular perfusion of an intestinal segment in the catfish (Ictalurus melas, R): demonstration of the vasoactive effects of mammalian VIP and of gastrointestinal extracts from teleost fish].

Through the middle mesenteric artery and the hepatic portal vein it is possible to perfuse specifically a small part of the catfish midgut. Using a tested VIP extraction procedure it is shown that trout and catfish extracts of oesophagus, stomach, midgut and hindgut induce a vasodilation similar to that of porcine VIP. The importance of the vasodilatory response depends on the level of perfused VIP and extracted tissue.