Ca2+ movements in smooth muscle

We describe the Ca2+ movements in smooth muscle cells at rest and during activation and relaxation as deduced from transplasmalemmal Ca2+ fluxes and contractile respnses. The general picture which emerges is: the resting cell has a [Ca2+]cyt below 10(-7) M and large gradients are poised across both the cell membrane and intracellular membranes. Excitation opens up Ca2+ channels which are linked to receptors and, if depolarization occurs, to other channels not linked to specific receptors but capable of sensing the membrane potential. Receptor activation also leads to release of Ca2+ from a limited intracellular Ca2+ pool which is superficially located because it has to be refilled from the outside. Relaxation is effected by Ca2+ accumulation by another intracellular Ca2+ pool, very likely sarcoplasmic reticulum, which does not release Ca2+ during activation. The sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump can also decrease initial activation of the myofilaments. Elevation of cAMP levels may inhibit contraction by stimulating the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase. An enormous amount of research is still required to prove the above scheme and to localize and quantitate the various intracellular Ca2+ pools.