Carbachol produced a relaxation of dilator muscle at a concentration lower than 1 microM and a contraction at a concentration higher than 1 microM. 2. We studied the effects of the M1-selective antagonist, pirenzepine, the M2-selective antagonist, himbacine, the M3-selective antagonist, 4-diphenyl-acetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide (4-DAMP) and the non-selective antagonist, atropine, on carbachol-induced relaxation and contraction of the rat iris dilator smooth muscle. All the antagonists competitively inhibited both the responses to carbachol. 3. In relaxation and contraction, the low affinity of pirenzepine and himbacine suggest that the rat iris dilator smooth muscle receptors are not of the M1 and M2 subtypes. In contrast, 4-DAMP potently inhibited the carbachol-induced relaxation and contraction with affinities similar to those reported for the M3 subtype. 4. Carbachol-induced relaxation and contraction of the rat iris dilator appears to be mediated through a homogeneous population of M3 subtype.
