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We investigated nitric oxide mediated inhibition of spontaneous activity recorded in young and aging guinea pig prostates.

Conventional intracellular microelectrode and tension recording techniques were used.

The nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (10 μM) abolished spontaneous contractions and slow wave activity in 5 young and 5 aging prostates. Upon adding the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME (10 μM) the frequency of spontaneous contractile and electrical activity was significantly increased in each age group. This increase was significantly larger in 4 to 8 preparations of younger vs aging prostates (about 40% to 50% vs about 10% to 20%, 2-way ANOVA p <0.01). Other measured parameters, including the duration, amplitude and membrane potential of spontaneous electrical and contractile activity, were not altered from control values. The …