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Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Measurement of Smooth Muscle Function in the Isolated Tissue Bath-applications to Pharmacology Research
Published on: January 19, 2015
Mechanisms of Vascular Smooth Muscle Contraction and the Basis for Pharmacologic Treatment of Smooth Muscle Disorders
F V Brozovich1, C J Nicholson1, C V Degen1
1Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.J.N., Y.Z.G., M.A., K.G.M.); Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (F.V.B.); and Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria (C.V.D.).
Abstract:
The smooth muscle cell directly drives the contraction of the vascular wall and hence regulates the size of the blood vessel lumen. We review here the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which agonists, therapeutics, and diseases regulate contractility of the vascular smooth muscle cell and we place this within the context of whole body function. We also discuss the implications for personalized medicine and highlight specific potential target molecules that may provide opportunities for the future development of new therapeutics to regulate vascular function.
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