Lack of the response to nicotine in 21-day-old rat adrenal chromaffin cells in vivo

Response to nicotine of adrenal chromaffin cells was studied in suckling and young adult male rats in vivo. When 5 mg/kg of nicotine was injected subcutaneously to 8-week-old rats, the content of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the chromaffin granule fraction decreased about by 36 and 45%, respectively, 2 min after the administration. In electron microscopy, the number of chromaffin granules in the perinuclear region of adrenaline-storing cells decreased markedly. The number of vacuoles, probably produced by membrane recycling resulting from exocytosis, increased significantly in adrenaline- and noradrenaline-storing cells. Omega-shaped profiles (exocytosis) were frequently observed both in adrenaline- and noradrenaline-storing cells. On the other hand, nicotine injection did not significantly alter the catecholamine content in the 21-day-old rat chromaffin granule fraction, although severe convulsion was evoked. In electron microscopy, the changes indicative of exocytosis mentioned above were scarcely observed. Cholinergic nerve fibers of mature appearance were observed in the adrenal medulla of 21-day-old rats. These results indicate that the responsiveness of the chromaffin cells to nicotine in 21-day-old rats differs from that in 8-week-old rats.