Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2026

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Effects of calcium and parathyroid hormone on prostacyclin synthesis by vascular tissue
Abstract:
Prostacyclin generation by rat aortic rings was studied at different calcium concentrations. Extracellular calcium influenced prostacyclin synthesis, as reflected by the release of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha into the medium, in a concentration-dependent fashion. Calcium levels beyond the physiological range (1.12-1.25 mM unbound calcium) markedly stimulated 6-keto-PGF1 alpha production when compared with calcium-free solutions. On the other hand, addition of purified parathyroid hormone did not change 6-keto-PGF1 alpha production at any calcium concentration tested. These data suggest that parathyroid hormone has no direct effect on prostacyclin synthesis by vascular tissue, although it might influence prostacyclin generation through changes in extracellular calcium levels.
Related Concept Videos
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway
Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
Synthesis and Functions of Calcitonin
The exact mechanisms by which calcitonin operates in calcium homeostasis remain elusive, but its significance is evident in several vital...
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists
These agonists bind to the IPR receptor situated on the plasma membrane of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This binding triggers a cascade of reactions known as the GS-AC-cAMP-PKA pathway. This pathway results in the relaxation of smooth muscle...

