Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2026

Measurement of Smooth Muscle Function in the Isolated Tissue Bath-applications to Pharmacology Research
Published on: January 19, 2015
[The effect of hydrogen sulfide on contractile activity of the vascular smooth muscles in rats]
Abstract:
The effect of endogenous and exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on contractile activity of vascular smooth muscle (VSM) was studied. The introduction of substrate synthesis H2S L-cysteine and its donor NaHS in vitro caused concentration-dependent relaxation of VSM of aorta and portal vein. Low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide donor (10(-5) mol/L) caused vasoconstriction of both types of the vessels. It was shown that the reaction of relaxation of VSM in response to NaHS is independent from endothelium. It was revealed that VSM of portal vein are more sensitive to the effects of H2S than VSM of aorta. Removing of aorta periadventitial adipose tissue showed no relaxation reply to the hydrogen sulfide donor NaHS in 70% of experiments. Some of the cellular mechanisms of hydrogen sulfide action were established, namely relaxation of aorta is depended on K(ATP) channel activation. This is manifested by a lack of relaxation of the aortic VSM due to K(ATP) channel inhibitor glibenclamide.
Related Concept Videos
Antihypertensive Drugs: Vasodilators
Smooth Muscle Contraction
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...

