The use of the slowly degradable analog, alpha, beta-methylene ATP, to produce desensitisation of the P2-purinoceptor: effect on non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic responses of the guinea-pig urinary bladder.

alpha, beta-Methylene ATP has advantages over ATP in producing desensitisation of the P2-purinoceptor since it is degraded more slowly than ATP and does not initiate synthesis of prostaglandins. Following desensitisation of the excitatory P2-purinoceptors in the guinea-pig urinary bladder, the excitatory responses to non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic nerve stimulation were abolished, while those to acetylcholine and histamine were little affected. This result is consistent with the purinergic nerve hypothesis.