Autonomic regulation of potassium release from human labial salivary glands in vitro.

Labial salivary-gland slices from normal human subjects were incubated in vitro according to various protocols. The autonomic regulation of these was significantly different from that of most major salivary glands. K release was stimulated by incubation with a cholinergic agonist but not with alpha- or beta-adrenergic agonists. The cholinergically-induced K release was dependent on agonist concentration and was inhibited by the addition of atropine, and by the removal of Ca in the presence of EGTA.