HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (21) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Webb, R. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Webb, R. C.

APS REFRESHER COURSE REPORT

SMOOTH MUSCLE CONTRACTION AND RELAXATION

Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912

Abstract

This brief review serves as a refresher on smooth muscle physiology for those educators who teach in medical and graduate courses of physiology. Additionally, those professionals who are in need of an update on smooth muscle physiology may find this review to be useful. Smooth muscle lacks the striations characteristic of cardiac and skeletal muscle. Layers of smooth muscle cells line the walls of various organs and tubes in the body, and the contractile function of smooth muscle is not under voluntary control. Contractile activity in smooth muscle is initiated by a Ca²⁺-calmodulin interaction to stimulate phosphorylation of the light chain of myosin. Ca²⁺ sensitization of the contractile proteins is signaled by the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway to inhibit the dephosphorylation of the light chain by myosin phosphatase, thereby maintaining force generation. Removal of Ca²⁺ from the cytosol and stimulation of myosin phosphatase initiate the process of smooth muscle relaxation.

Key words: review; cell signaling

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. S. Escano Jr., L. B. Keever, A. A. Gutweiler, and B. T. Andresen Angiotensin II Activates Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Independently of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases in Renal Smooth Muscle Cells: Implications for Blood Pressure Regulation J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., January 1, 2008; 324(1): 34 - 42. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. A. Tountas and D. L. Brautigan Migration and retraction of endothelial and epithelial cells require PHI-1, a specific protein-phosphatase-1 inhibitor protein J. Cell Sci., November 15, 2004; 117(24): 5905 - 5912. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]