Tf. Degolier et al., Effect of galanin on isolated strips of smooth muscle from the gastrointestinal tract of chickens, J EXP ZOOL, 283(4-5), 1999, pp. 463-468
The contractile effects of galanin on isolated longitudinal smooth muscle s
trips of pre-crop esophagus, proventriculus, duodenum, colon, and cecum of
chickens were investigated. Application of galanin (5.0-100.0 nM) evoked st
rong contractions from the colon and cecum (hindgut), but evoked minimal re
sponses from the pre-crop esophagus, proventriculus, and duodenum (foregut)
. Previous studies have demonstrated that the central administration of gal
anin stimulates food consumption in rats. Since galanin-like immunoreactivi
ty is present in the chicken brain, we speculate that the central release o
f galanin may increase food intake and possibly be involved in a hypothalam
ic-colonic reflex modulating hindgut motility and generating a defecation.
Thus, the results of this study demonstrate the presence of galanin recepto
rs in the chicken gut and suggest a possible Link with their functional pre
sence in the hindgut to the chicken central nervous system. J. Exp. Zool. 2
83:463-468, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.