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Related Concept Videos

Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration01:27

Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration

Calcium is an essential signaling molecule required for various cellular functions. Calcium pumps and ion channels on cell and organellar membranes, such as those on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), regulate calcium concentrations inside the cell. They remain closed, keeping the cytosolic calcium levels low at a resting state.
Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
Structure and Organization of Smooth Muscles01:13

Structure and Organization of Smooth Muscles

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.
Structure of smooth muscle cell
Smooth muscle cells are spindle-shaped with tapering ends and a...
Smooth Muscle Contraction01:25

Smooth Muscle Contraction

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...
Antihypertensive Drugs: Action of Calcium Channel Blockers01:18

Antihypertensive Drugs: Action of Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium ions are essential to contract smooth muscle cells in blood vessels. They enter these cells through voltage-dependent calcium channels, specifically L-type calcium channels in the cell membrane. These L-type calcium channels are integral to the excitation-contraction coupling process in smooth muscle. When a stimulus is received by smooth muscle cells, their membrane depolarizes. This alteration in membrane potential instigates the opening of L-type calcium channels. As a result,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Focal Ca2+ Transient Detection in Smooth Muscle
17:41

Focal Ca2+ Transient Detection in Smooth Muscle

Published on: June 29, 2009

Calcium channels in smooth muscle.

H Karaki, G B Weiss

    Gastroenterology
    |October 1, 1984
    PubMed
    Summary

    Smooth muscles possess distinct calcium (Ca2+) channels: voltage-dependent and receptor-linked. While separate in some arteries, these channels often overlap in function across various smooth muscle types, impacting drug responses.

    Area of Science:

    • Pharmacology
    • Physiology
    • Cardiovascular Research

    Background:

    • Smooth muscle contraction is regulated by calcium (Ca2+) influx through distinct channels.
    • Two primary Ca2+ channel types are identified: voltage-dependent and receptor-linked.
    • These channels are activated by changes in membrane potential or drug-receptor interactions, respectively.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To characterize Ca2+ channels in various smooth muscle tissues.
    • To investigate the functional separation and pharmacological sensitivity of voltage-dependent and receptor-linked Ca2+ channels.
    • To determine if specific Ca2+ channel blockers exhibit selective inhibition across different smooth muscle types.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized organic Ca2+ antagonists and sodium nitroprusside as selective inhibitors.

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    Recording of Inward Rectifying K+ Currents in Freshly Isolated Basilar Artery Smooth Muscle Cells by Patch Clamp Technique
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    Recording of Inward Rectifying K+ Currents in Freshly Isolated Basilar Artery Smooth Muscle Cells by Patch Clamp Technique

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    Exploring Arterial Smooth Muscle Kv7 Potassium Channel Function using Patch Clamp Electrophysiology and Pressure Myography
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  • Examined the effects of these inhibitors on Ca2+ channels in rabbit aorta, rat strains, and other vascular and non-vascular smooth muscles.
  • Assessed the sensitivity of different smooth muscle Ca2+ channels to the applied pharmacological agents.

    • Main Results:

    • In rabbit aorta and some rat strains, voltage-dependent and receptor-linked Ca2+ channels were distinct and selectively inhibited.
    • Most vascular smooth muscles, gastric fundus, and corpus showed Ca2+ channels partially sensitive to both organic Ca2+ antagonists and sodium nitroprusside.
    • Intestinal, genital, and tracheal smooth muscles exhibited Ca2+ channels sensitive only to organic Ca2+ antagonists, not sodium nitroprusside.

    Conclusions:

    • Smooth muscle Ca2+ channels are not always functionally separated, exhibiting mixed sensitivity to different inhibitors in many tissues.
    • The distinct separation observed in aortic smooth muscle may not be universal across all smooth muscle types.
    • Pharmacological profiling reveals tissue-specific characteristics of Ca2+ channel subtypes, influencing potential therapeutic strategies.