Table of neurotransmitter actions in the ANS

This is a table of neurotransmitter actions in the ANS (autonomic nervous system). It includes the circulatory system, the respiratory system, the visual system, the digestive system, the endocrine system, the urinary system, the reproductive system, and the integumentary system. Both effects of the sympathetic nervous system (adrenergic) and parasympathetic nervous system (muscarinic) are included.

Circulatory system

=[[Heart]]=

Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
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cardiac output	β1, (β2): increases	M2: decreases
SA node: heart rate (chronotropic)	β1, (β2):{{Cite book\|author=H. P. Rang\|title=Pharmacology 5th ed.\|last2=M. Maureen Dale\|publisher=Churchill Livingstone\|year=2003\|isbn=978-0-443-07145-4\|editor-last=H. P. Rang\|page=127}} increases	M2: decreases
Atrial cardiac muscle: contractility (inotropic)	β1, (β2): increases	M2: decreases
at AV node	β1: increases conduction increases cardiac muscle automaticity	M2: decreases conduction Atrioventricular block
Ventricular cardiac muscle	β1, (β2): increases contractility (inotropic) increases cardiac muscle automaticity	---

=[[Blood vessels]]=

Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
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vascular smooth muscle in general	α1:{{cite book \|last=Costanzo \|first=Linda S. \|title=Physiology \|publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins \|location=Hagerstwon, MD \|year=2007 \|page=[https://archive.org/details/physiology00cost_0/page/37 37] \|isbn=978-0-7817-7311-9 \|url-access=registration \|url=https://archive.org/details/physiology00cost_0/page/37 }} contracts; β2: relaxes	M3: relaxes
renal artery	α1:{{cite journal \|pmid=6270306 \|year=1981 \|last1=Schmitz \|first1=JM \|last2=Graham \|first2=RM \|last3=Sagalowsky \|first3=A \|last4=Pettinger \|first4=WA \|title=Renal alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenergic receptors: Biochemical and pharmacological correlations \|volume=219 \|issue=2 \|pages=400–6 \|journal=The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics}} constricts	---
larger coronary arteries	α1 and α2:{{cite journal \|pmid=2887122 \|year=1987 \|last1=Woodman \|first1=OL \|last2=Vatner \|first2=SF \|title=Coronary vasoconstriction mediated by alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors in conscious dogs \|volume=253 \|issue=2 Pt 2 \|pages=H388–93 \|journal=The American Journal of Physiology\|doi=10.1152/ajpheart.1987.253.2.H388 }} constricts	---
smaller coronary arteries	β2: dilates{{cite book \|last=Rang \|first=H. P. \|title=Pharmacology \|publisher=Churchill Livingstone \|location=Edinburgh \|year=2003 \|page=270 \|isbn=978-0-443-07145-4}}	---
arteries to viscera	α: constricts	---
arteries to skin	α: constricts	---
arteries to brain	α1:[http://cim.ucdavis.edu/masters/sessions2002/session4_ica.doc Circulation & Lung Physiology I] M.A.S.T.E.R. Learning Program, UC Davis School of Medicine constricts	---
arteries to erectile tissue	α1:{{cite journal \|doi=10.1038/sj.bjp.0706956 \|title=Α1A-Adrenoceptors mediate contractions to phenylephrine in rabbit penile arteries \|year=2009 \|last1=Morton \|first1=J S \|last2=Daly \|first2=C J \|last3=Jackson \|first3=V M \|last4=McGrath \|first4=J C \|journal=British Journal of Pharmacology \|volume=150 \|pages=112–20 \|pmid=17115072 \|issue=1 \|pmc=2013850}} constricts	M3: dilates
arteries to salivary glands	α: constricts	M3: dilates
hepatic artery	α: constricts	---
arteries to skeletal muscle	β2: dilates	---
Veins	α1 and α2:{{cite journal \|doi=10.1046/j.1365-2885.1997.00078.x \|title=Alpha-adrenoceptors in equine digital veins: Evidence for the presence of both alpha1 and alpha2-receptors mediating vasoconstriction \|year=1997 \|last1=Elliott \|first1=J. \|journal=Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics \|volume=20 \|issue=4 \|pages=308–17 \|pmid=9280371}} constricts β2: dilates	---

=Other=

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Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
platelets	α2: aggregates	---
mast cells - histamine	β2: inhibits	---

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Target

! Sympathetic (adrenergic)

! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)

platelets

α2: aggregates

---

mast cells - histamine

β2: inhibits

---

Respiratory system

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Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
smooth muscles of bronchioles*	β2: relaxes (major contribution) α1: contracts (minor contribution)	M3: contracts

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Target

! Sympathetic (adrenergic)

! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)

smooth muscles of bronchioles*

β2: relaxes (major contribution)
α1: contracts (minor contribution)

M3: contracts

^✱ The bronchioles have no sympathetic innervation, but are instead affected by circulating adrenaline

Visual system

Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
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Pupil dilator muscle	α1: Dilates (causes mydriasis)
Iris sphincter muscle	-	M3: contracts (causes miosis)
Ciliary muscle	β2: relaxes (causes long-range focus)	M3: contracts (causes short-range focus)

Digestive system

Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
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salivary glands: secretions	β: stimulates viscous, amylase secretions α1: stimulates potassium secretions	M3: stimulates watery secretions
lacrimal glands (tears)	β: stimulates protein secretion{{cite journal \|pmid=6320658 \|year=1984 \|last1=Mauduit \|first1=P \|last2=Herman \|first2=G \|last3=Rossignol \|first3=B \|title=Protein secretion induced by isoproterenol or pentoxifylline in lacrimal gland: Ca2+ effects \|volume=246 \|issue=1 Pt 1 \|pages=C37–44 \|journal=The American Journal of Physiology\|doi=10.1152/ajpcell.1984.246.1.C37 }}	secretion of tears by stimulating muscarinic receptors (M3)
juxtaglomerular apparatus of kidney	β1: renin secretion	---
parietal cells	---	M1: Gastric acid secretion
liver	α1, β2: glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis	---
adipose cells	β1, β3: stimulates lipolysis	---
GI tract (smooth muscle) motility	α1, α2,{{cite journal \|doi=10.1136/gut.28.8.955 \|title=Involvement of alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptors in the postlaparotomy intestinal motor disturbances in the rat \|year=1987 \|last1=Sagrada \|first1=A \|last2=Fargeas \|first2=M J \|last3=Bueno \|first3=L \|journal=Gut \|volume=28 \|issue=8 \|pages=955–9 \|pmid=2889649 \|pmc=1433140}} β2: decreases	M3, (M1): increases
sphincters of GI tract	α1, α2, β2: contracts	M3: relaxes
glands of GI tract	no effect	M3: secretes

Endocrine system

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Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
pancreas (islets)	α2: decreases insulin secretion from beta cells, increases glucagon secretion from alpha cells	M3:{{cite book \| last1 = Poretsky \| first1 = Leonid \|chapter=Parasympathetic Nerves \|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i0qojvF1SpUC&pg=PA47 \| title = Principles of diabetes mellitu \| year = 2010 \| publisher = Springer \| location = New York \| isbn = 978-0-387-09840-1 \| page = 47 }}{{cite journal \|doi=10.2337/diabetes.53.7.1714 \|title=Muscarinic Stimulation of Pancreatic Insulin and Glucagon Release is Abolished in M3 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor-Deficient Mice \|year=2004 \|last1=Duttaroy \|first1=A. \|last2=Zimliki \|first2=C. L. \|last3=Gautam \|first3=D. \|last4=Cui \|first4=Y. \|last5=Mears \|first5=D. \|last6=Wess \|first6=J. \|journal=Diabetes \|volume=53 \|issue=7 \|pages=1714–20 \|pmid=15220195\|doi-access=free }} increases secretion of both insulin and glucagon.
adrenal medulla	N (nicotinic ACh receptor): secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine	---

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Target

! Sympathetic (adrenergic)

! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)

pancreas (islets)

α2: decreases insulin secretion from beta cells, increases glucagon secretion from alpha cells

M3:{{cite book | last1 = Poretsky | first1 = Leonid |chapter=Parasympathetic Nerves |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i0qojvF1SpUC&pg=PA47 | title = Principles of diabetes mellitu | year = 2010 | publisher = Springer | location = New York | isbn = 978-0-387-09840-1 | page = 47 }}{{cite journal |doi=10.2337/diabetes.53.7.1714 |title=Muscarinic Stimulation of Pancreatic Insulin and Glucagon Release is Abolished in M3 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor-Deficient Mice |year=2004 |last1=Duttaroy |first1=A. |last2=Zimliki |first2=C. L. |last3=Gautam |first3=D. |last4=Cui |first4=Y. |last5=Mears |first5=D. |last6=Wess |first6=J. |journal=Diabetes |volume=53 |issue=7 |pages=1714–20 |pmid=15220195|doi-access=free }} increases secretion of both insulin and glucagon.

adrenal medulla

N (nicotinic ACh receptor): secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine

---

Urinary system

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Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
Detrusor urinae muscle of bladder wall	β2, β3:{{cite journal \|doi=10.1124/jpet.109.155010 \|title=Effects of 3-Adrenergic Receptor Activation on Rat Urinary Bladder Hyperactivity Induced by Ovariectomy \|year=2009 \|last1=Kullmann \|first1=F. A. \|last2=Limberg \|first2=B. J. \|last3=Artim \|first3=D. E. \|last4=Shah \|first4=M. \|last5=Downs \|first5=T. R. \|last6=Contract \|first6=D. \|last7=Wos \|first7=J. \|last8=Rosenbaum \|first8=J. S. \|last9=De Groat \|first9=W. C. \|journal=Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics \|volume=330 \|issue=3 \|pages=704–17 \|pmid=19515967 \|pmc=2729793 }} relaxes	M3: contracts
internal urethral sphincter	α1: contracts	M3: relaxes

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Target

! Sympathetic (adrenergic)

! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)

Detrusor urinae muscle of bladder wall

β2, β3:{{cite journal |doi=10.1124/jpet.109.155010 |title=Effects of 3-Adrenergic Receptor Activation on Rat Urinary Bladder Hyperactivity Induced by Ovariectomy |year=2009 |last1=Kullmann |first1=F. A. |last2=Limberg |first2=B. J. |last3=Artim |first3=D. E. |last4=Shah |first4=M. |last5=Downs |first5=T. R. |last6=Contract |first6=D. |last7=Wos |first7=J. |last8=Rosenbaum |first8=J. S. |last9=De Groat |first9=W. C. |journal=Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics |volume=330 |issue=3 |pages=704–17 |pmid=19515967 |pmc=2729793 }} relaxes

M3: contracts

internal urethral sphincter

α1: contracts

M3: relaxes

Reproductive system

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Target ! Sympathetic (adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)
uterus	α1: contracts (pregnant) β2: relaxes (non-pregnant)	---
genitalia	α1: contracts (ejaculation)	M3: erection

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Target

! Sympathetic (adrenergic)

! Parasympathetic (muscarinic)

uterus

α1: contracts (pregnant)
β2: relaxes (non-pregnant)

---

genitalia

α1: contracts (ejaculation)

M3: erection

Integumentary system

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Target ! Sympathetic (muscarinic and adrenergic) ! Parasympathetic
sweat gland secretions	α1: stimulates (minor contribution)	M: stimulates (major contribution)
arrector pili	α1: stimulates	---

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Target

! Sympathetic (muscarinic and adrenergic)

! Parasympathetic

sweat gland secretions

α1: stimulates (minor contribution)

M: stimulates (major contribution)

arrector pili

α1: stimulates

---

References

Category:Autonomic nervous system

Category:Biology-related lists