Calcitonin gene-related peptide evokes fast and slow depolarizing responses in guinea pig coeliac neurons

Abstract

Pressure application of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) evoked in a population of coeliac neurons three types of response: a fast, a slow and a biphasic depolarization consisting of the first two responses in sequence. The fast and slow depolarization exhibited distinct electrophysiological and pharmacological characteristics, suggesting that these two responses may be mediated by separate CGRP receptors. Moreover, our results show that CGRP is one of the few peptides known to date that cause a fast, sodium-sensitive depolarization.