THE EFFECTS OF IONOPHORE A23187 ON PERMEABILITY OF THE FROG MESENTERY MICROVASCULATURE

¹ Department of Physiology and Biophysics, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London W2 1PG
² University Laboratory of Phyisiology, Oxford OX1 3PT

The effects of the divalent cation ionophore A23187, upon microvascular permeability have been investigated in single perfused capillaries and venules in the mesenteries of pithed frogs. In all experiments, the vessels were perfused with Ringer solutions containing the macromolecules Ficoll 70 (40 mg ml-1) and bovine serum albumin (10 mg ml^-1). Hydraulic permeability (L_p) of the vessel walls and the effective osmotic pressure () exerted across them by the perfusate macromolecules were estimated by the method of Michel (1980). In eleven experiments addition of A23187 to the perfusate raised L_p from a mean value (± S.E.M.) of 4·76 (± 1·05) x 10^-7 cm s^-1 cmH₂O^-1 to one of 11·97 (± 1·96) x 10^-7 cm s^-1 cmH₂O^-1 and reduced from a mean (± S.E.M.) of 16·5 (± 2·01) cmH₂O to one of 7·6 (± 1·93) cmH₂O. The effects of A23187 on L_p and were reversible. A23187 was found to increase L_p and reduce after the mesentery had been exposed to compound 48/80 to degranulate the mast cells two or more hours previously. A23187 also appeared to be effective in raising L_p and lowering in the absence of Ca²⁺ ions from the perfusate and superfusate. The ionophore was found to reduce permeability, however, when Mg²⁺ ions were removed from the perfusate and superfusate both in the absence and in the presence of Ca²⁺. This reduction in permeability could be converted into an increase in L_p and fall in if Mg²⁺ were restored to the superfusate. It is concluded that A23187 increases vascular permeability in a reversible manner and that Mg²⁺ ions in the extracellular fluids are necessary for its action.

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