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Related Concept Videos

Functions of Smooth Muscles01:23

Functions of Smooth Muscles

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Smooth muscles are an important type of muscle tissue that plays a vital role in the involuntary movements of internal organs. For example, they help regulate the movement of food through the gut and the flow of blood through the circulatory system.
Function of visceral smooth muscles
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Smooth Muscle Contraction01:25

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Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
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...
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Structure and Organization of Smooth Muscles01:13

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Smooth muscle tissue is a type of muscle tissue that can be found lining various vital organs in the human body, including the lungs, blood vessels, digestive tract, and respiratory tract. This type of tissue is responsible for regulating the movements of these organs, playing crucial roles in the functioning of various systems, including the vascular, digestive, respiratory, and urinary systems.
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Plant Cell Wall02:43

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The plant cell wall gives plant cells shape, support, and protection. As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to the cell type. For example, the parenchyma cells of leaves possess only a thin, primary cell wall.
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Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence01:23

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Alfred Binet, along with his student Théophile Simon, was tasked by the French Ministry of Education in 1904 to create a method for identifying students who struggled to learn through conventional classroom instruction. This initiative aimed to address overcrowding by placing such students in specialized schools. Binet and Simon developed an intelligence test comprising 30 tasks, ranging from simple commands, like touching one's nose or ear, to more complex tasks, such as drawing...
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David Wechsler, a psychologist who worked with World War I veterans, developed a significant IQ test in 1939 called the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale. This test was innovative because it combined several subtests that measured both verbal and nonverbal skills, reflecting Wechsler's belief that intelligence is a global capacity involving purposeful action, rational thinking, and effective interaction with the environment. This test later evolved into the Wechsler Adult Intelligence...
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Measurement of Smooth Muscle Function in the Isolated Tissue Bath-applications to Pharmacology Research
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Measurement of Smooth Muscle Function in the Isolated Tissue Bath-applications to Pharmacology Research

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Smooth muscle regional contribution to vaginal wall function.

Gabrielle L Clark1, Anastassia P Pokutta-Paskaleva2, Dylan J Lawrence1

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, 6823 St Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA.

Interface Focus
|July 3, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pelvic organ prolapse mechanisms are better understood by examining vaginal smooth muscle tone. This study reveals how basal and maximum muscle tone influence vaginal tissue mechanics, offering insights for improved treatments.

Keywords:
basal tonebiaxialcontractilityregionalsmooth musclevagina

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Reproductive Biology
  • Tissue Mechanics

Background:

  • Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects 12% of women in the USA, often requiring surgery.
  • Vaginal childbirth is a known risk factor for POP, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
  • Prolapsed vaginal tissue exhibits altered smooth muscle organization, composition, and reduced maximum muscle tone.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the contribution of smooth muscle basal (resting) and maximum tone to the biaxial mechanical behavior of murine vaginal tissue.
  • To understand how these muscle tone components affect vaginal tissue's response to multiaxial loads.
  • To provide insights into the biomechanical factors contributing to pelvic organ prolapse.

Main Methods:

  • Murine vaginal tissue (C57BL/6 mice) was subjected to extension-inflation protocols to assess mechanical properties.
  • Basal smooth muscle tone effects were evaluated with and without resting tone.
  • Maximum smooth muscle tone was induced using KCl under various circumferential and axial loading conditions.
  • Microstructural analysis utilized multiphoton microscopy, multiaxial histology, and immunohistochemistry.

Main Results:

  • Vaginal smooth muscle basal tone was found to decrease material stiffness and increase tissue anisotropy.
  • Maximum vaginal smooth muscle tone decreased as intraluminal pressures increased.
  • These findings demonstrate that vaginal muscle tone significantly influences the biaxial mechanical response of vaginal tissue.

Conclusions:

  • Vaginal smooth muscle tone plays a crucial role in the mechanical behavior of vaginal tissue.
  • Understanding these biomechanical contributions can help elucidate POP mechanisms.
  • This research may lead to improved preventative and therapeutic strategies for pelvic organ prolapse.