Comparison of membrane electrical activity of cat gastric submucosal arterioles and venules.

Intracellular electrical recordings were made from arterioles and venules of the cat gastric submucosa. Spontaneous rhythmic fluctuations of the membrane potential were recorded in 54% of the venular preparations. Arteriolar cells showed no spontaneous activity. Excitatory junction potentials were recorded in arterioles but not venules after single shocks to the perivascular nerves. The amplitude of the excitatory junction potential was decreased in the presence of alpha-blockers. Repetitive stimulation of the perivascular nerve caused a biphasic electrical response of venular smooth muscle cells. The depolarizing component was decreased by alpha-adrenergic blockade and the hyperpolarizing component by beta-blockade. Venules contracted in response to smaller depolarizations than did arterioles. The voltage threshold for contraction of venular cells was similar to that for arteriolar cells but the venular cells were significantly more depolarized at rest than were the arteriolar cells. The difference in resting potential provides an explanation for the difference in sensitivity to electrical input.