Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle tone is controlled by a balance between the cellular signaling pathways that mediate the generation of force (contraction) and the release of force (relaxation). The signaling events that activate contraction include Ca2+-dependent myosin light chain phosphorylation. The signaling events that mediate relaxation include the removal of a contractile agonist (passive relaxation) and activation of cyclic nucleotide-dependent signaling pathways in the continued presence of a contractile agonist (active relaxation). The major questions that remain in contractile physiology include (1) how is tonic force maintained when intracellular Ca2+ levels and myosin light chain phosphorylation have returned to basal levels; and (2) what is the mechanism of cyclic nucleotide-dependent relaxation? This review focuses on these specific controversies surrounding the molecular mechanisms of contraction and relaxation of vascular smooth muscle.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 135-143 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology |
Volume | 177 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 25 2001 |
Keywords
- Contraction
- Heat-shock protein (HSP)
- Relaxation
- cAMP
- cGMP
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Endocrinology