Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology
10:26

Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology

Published on: August 18, 2014

Neuronal norepinephrine as mediator for ouabain-induced smooth muscle contraction

T Katsuragi, Y Fukushi, T Suzuki

    European Journal of Pharmacology
    |February 15, 1978
    PubMed

    More Related Videos

    Measurement of Smooth Muscle Function in the Isolated Tissue Bath-applications to Pharmacology Research09:05

    Measurement of Smooth Muscle Function in the Isolated Tissue Bath-applications to Pharmacology Research

    Published on: January 19, 2015

    Assessment of Vascular Tone Responsiveness using Isolated Mesenteric Arteries with a Focus on Modulation by Perivascular Adipose Tissues08:41

    Assessment of Vascular Tone Responsiveness using Isolated Mesenteric Arteries with a Focus on Modulation by Perivascular Adipose Tissues

    Published on: June 3, 2019

    Related Concept Videos

    Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway01:28

    Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway

    Nitric oxide (NO), an inorganic gas, acts as a potent second messenger in most animal and plant tissues. NO diffuses out of the cells that produce it and enters the neighboring cells to generate a downstream response. NO synthase (NOS) catalyzes NO production by the deamination of the amino acid arginine. There are three isoforms of NOS. Endothelial cells have endothelial NOS (eNOS), nerve and muscle cells have neuronal NOS (nNOS), and macrophages produce inducible NOS (iNOS) upon exposure to...
    Adrenergic Neurons: Neurotransmission01:27

    Adrenergic Neurons: Neurotransmission

    Postganglionic sympathetic fibers (except those supplying the sweat glands) releasing noradrenaline or norepinephrine are called noradrenergic or adrenergic neurons. Noradrenaline, dopamine, adrenaline, or epinephrine are collectively called "catecholamines" as they contain a catechol moiety and an amine side chain. The five stages of neurotransmitter release involve their synthesis, storage, release, reuptake and metabolism.
    Synthesis: Catecholamine synthesis requires tyrosine, which is taken...
    Adrenergic Agonists: Direct-Acting Agents01:30

    Adrenergic Agonists: Direct-Acting Agents

    Drugs that mimic the action of endogenous catecholamines like noradrenaline and adrenaline are called adrenergic agonists or sympathomimetics. Based on their mechanism of action, sympathomimetics can be classified as direct-, indirect-, or mixed-acting sympathomimetics. Direct-acting adrenergic agonists activate adrenoceptors without affecting presynaptic neurons, making them independent of neuronal catecholamine-depleting agents like reserpine and guanethidine.
    These agents can be classified...
    Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents01:25

    Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents

    Indirect-acting adrenergic agonists potentiate the effects of endogenous catecholamines through different mechanisms without directly binding to adrenoceptors.
    One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral bioavailability, and...
    Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake01:21

    Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

    Certain drugs can affect how neurotransmitters called catecholamines, are released or taken back up in the adrenergic neuron. They can have different effects on the body's sympathetic transmission. Reserpine, a natural compound found in the Rauwolfia shrub, blocks a transporter called vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), which leads to a buildup of catecholamines in the cell and reduces sympathetic transmission. Another drug called guanethidine works in multiple ways, including blocking...
    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...