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Schultz MLC, Seth P, Kachmar L, Ijpma G, Lauzon AM. A method for isolating contractile smooth muscle cells from cryopreserved tissue. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 326:C990-C998. [PMID: 38314725 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00442.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Multiple techniques have been developed to isolate contractile smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from tissues with varying degrees of success. However, most of these approaches rely on obtaining fresh tissue, which poses logistical challenges. In the present study, we introduce a novel protocol for isolating contractile SMCs from cryopreserved smooth muscle (SM) tissue, thereby enhancing experimental efficiency. This protocol yields abundant viable, spindle-shaped, contractile SMCs that closely resemble those obtained from fresh samples. By analyzing the expression of contractile proteins, we demonstrate that both the isolated SMCs from cryopreserved tissue represent more accurately fresh SM tissue compared with cultured SMCs. Moreover, we demonstrate the importance of a brief incubation step of the tissue in culture medium before cell dissociation to achieve contractile SMCs. Finally, we provide a concise overview of our protocol optimization efforts, along with a summary of previously published methods, which could be valuable for the development of similar protocols for other species.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We report a successful protocol development for isolating contractile smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from cryopreserved tissue reducing the reliance on fresh tissues and providing a readily available source of contractile SMCs. Our findings suggest that SMCs isolated using our protocol maintain their phenotype better compared with cultured SMCs. This preservation of the cellular characteristics, including the expression of key contractile proteins, makes these cells more representative of fresh SM tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus L C Schultz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pranjal Seth
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Linda Kachmar
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gijs Ijpma
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anne-Marie Lauzon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Park CY, Zhou EH, Tambe D, Chen B, Lavoie T, Dowell M, Simeonov A, Maloney DJ, Marinkovic A, Tschumperlin DJ, Burger S, Frykenberg M, Butler JP, Stamer WD, Johnson M, Solway J, Fredberg JJ, Krishnan R. High-throughput screening for modulators of cellular contractile force. Integr Biol (Camb) 2015; 7:1318-24. [PMID: 25953078 DOI: 10.1039/c5ib00054h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
When cellular contractile forces are central to pathophysiology, these forces comprise a logical target of therapy. Nevertheless, existing high-throughput screens are limited to upstream signalling intermediates with poorly defined relationships to such a physiological endpoint. Using cellular force as the target, here we report a new screening technology and demonstrate its applications using human airway smooth muscle cells in the context of asthma and Schlemm's canal endothelial cells in the context of glaucoma. This approach identified several drug candidates for both asthma and glaucoma. We attained rates of 1000 compounds per screening day, thus establishing a force-based cellular platform for high-throughput drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan Young Park
- Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Moore BD, Hyde D, Miller L, Wong E, Frelinger J, Schelegle ES. Allergen and ozone exacerbate serotonin-induced increases in airway smooth muscle contraction in a model of childhood asthma. Respiration 2012; 83:529-42. [PMID: 22507883 DOI: 10.1159/000336835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2011] [Accepted: 01/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Serotonin (5-HT) modulates cholinergic neurotransmission and exacerbates airway smooth muscle (ASM) contraction in normal animal and nonasthmatic human tissue. Exposure to house dust mite allergen (HDMA) and ozone (O(3)) leads to airway hyperreactivity and 5-HT-positive cells in the airway epithelium of infant rhesus monkeys. Research shows that concomitant exposure in allergic animals has an additive effect on airway hyperreactivity. OBJECTIVES In this study, the hypothesis is that the exposure of allergic infant rhesus monkeys to HDMA, O(3) and in combination, acting through 5-HT receptors, enhances 5-HT modulation of postganglionic cholinergic ASM contraction. METHODS Twenty-four HDMA-sensitized infant monkeys were split into 4 groups at the age of 1 month, and were exposed to filtered air (FA), HDMA, O(3) or in combination (HDMA+O(3)). At the age of 6 months, airway rings were harvested and postganglionic, and parasympathetic-mediated ASM contraction was evaluated using electrical-field stimulation (EFS). RESULTS 5-HT exacerbated the EFS response within all exposure groups, but had no effect in the FA group. 5-HT(2), 5-HT(3) and 5-HT(4) receptor agonists exacerbated the response. 5-HT concentration-response curves performed after incubation with specific receptor antagonists confirmed the involvement of 5-HT(2), 5-HT(3) and 5-HT(4) receptors. Conversely, a 5-HT(1) receptor agonist attenuated the tension across all groups during EFS, and in ASM contracted via exogenous acetylcholine. CONCLUSIONS HDMA, O(3) and HDMA+O(3) exposure in a model of childhood allergic asthma enhances 5-HT exacerbation of EFS-induced ASM contraction through 5-HT(2), 5-HT(3) and 5-HT(4) receptors. A nonneurogenic inhibitory pathway exists, unaffected by exposure, mediated by 5-HT(1) receptors located on ASM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Moore
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, and Respiratory Diseases Unit, California National Primate Research Center, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616-8732, USA.
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Zhou J, Alvarez-Elizondo MB, Botvinick E, George SC. Local small airway epithelial injury induces global smooth muscle contraction and airway constriction. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2011; 112:627-37. [PMID: 22114176 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00739.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Small airway epithelial cells form a continuous sheet lining the conducting airways, which serves many functions including a physical barrier to protect the underlying tissue. In asthma, injury to epithelial cells can occur during bronchoconstriction, which may exacerbate airway hyperreactivity. To investigate the role of epithelial cell rupture in airway constriction, laser ablation was used to precisely rupture individual airway epithelial cells of small airways (<300-μm diameter) in rat lung slices (∼250-μm thick). Laser ablation of single epithelial cells using a femtosecond laser reproducibly induced airway contraction to ∼70% of the original cross-sectional area within several seconds, and the contraction lasted for up to 40 s. The airway constriction could be mimicked by mechanical rupture of a single epithelial cell using a sharp glass micropipette but not with a blunt glass pipette. These results suggest that soluble mediators released from the wounded epithelial cell induce global airway contraction. To confirm this hypothesis, the lysate of primary human small airway epithelial cells stimulated a similar airway contraction. Laser ablation of single epithelial cells triggered a single instantaneous Ca(2+) wave in the epithelium, and multiple Ca(2+) waves in smooth muscle cells, which were delayed by several seconds. Removal of extracellular Ca(2+) or decreasing intracellular Ca(2+) both blocked laser-induced airway contraction. We conclude that local epithelial cell rupture induces rapid and global airway constriction through release of soluble mediators and subsequent Ca(2+)-dependent smooth muscle shortening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Universityof California, Irvine, CA 92697-2715, USA
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Perez-Zoghbi JF, Bai Y, Sanderson MJ. Nitric oxide induces airway smooth muscle cell relaxation by decreasing the frequency of agonist-induced Ca2+ oscillations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 135:247-59. [PMID: 20176853 PMCID: PMC2828908 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200910365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) induces airway smooth muscle cell (SMC) relaxation, but the underlying mechanism is not well understood. Consequently, we investigated the effects of NO on airway SMC contraction, Ca2+ signaling, and Ca2+ sensitivity in mouse lung slices with phase-contrast and confocal microscopy. Airways that were contracted in response to the agonist 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transiently relaxed in response to the NO donor, NOC-5. This NO-induced relaxation was enhanced by zaprinast or vardenafil, two selective inhibitors of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase-5, but blocked by ODQ, an inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase, and by Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPS, an inhibitor of protein kinase G (PKG). Simultaneous measurements of airway caliber and SMC [Ca2+]i revealed that airway contraction induced by 5-HT correlated with the occurrence of Ca2+ oscillations in the airway SMCs. Airway relaxation induced by NOC-5 was accompanied by a decrease in the frequency of these Ca2+ oscillations. The cGMP analogues and selective PKG activators 8Br-cGMP and 8pCPT-cGMP also induced airway relaxation and decreased the frequency of the Ca2+ oscillations. NOC-5 inhibited the increase of [Ca2+]i and contraction induced by the photolytic release of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) in airway SMCs. The effect of NO on the Ca2+ sensitivity of the airway SMCs was examined in lung slices permeabilized to Ca2+ by treatment with caffeine and ryanodine. Neither NOC-5 nor 8pCPT-cGMP induced relaxation in agonist-contracted Ca2+-permeabilized airways. Consequently, we conclude that NO, acting via the cGMP–PKG pathway, induced airway SMC relaxation by predominately inhibiting the release of Ca2+ via the IP3 receptor to decrease the frequency of agonist-induced Ca2+ oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose F Perez-Zoghbi
- Department of Physiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
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Perez-Zoghbi JF, Sanderson MJ. Endothelin-induced contraction of bronchiole and pulmonary arteriole smooth muscle cells is regulated by intracellular Ca2+ oscillations and Ca2+ sensitization. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2007; 293:L1000-11. [PMID: 17616645 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00184.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelin-1 (ET) induces increases in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)), Ca(2+) sensitization, and contraction of both bronchiole and pulmonary arteriole smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and may play an important role in the pathophysiology of asthma and pulmonary hypertension. However, because it remains unclear how changes in [Ca(2+)](i) and the Ca(2+) sensitivity regulate SMC contraction, we have studied mouse lung slices with phase-contrast and confocal microscopy to correlate the ET-induced contraction with the changes in [Ca(2+)](i) and Ca(2+) sensitivity of bronchiole and arteriole SMCs. In comparison with acetylcholine (ACh) or serotonin (5-HT), ET induced a stronger and long-lasting contraction of both bronchioles and arterioles. This ET-induced contraction was associated with prominent asynchronous Ca(2+) oscillations that were propagated as Ca(2+) waves along the SMCs. These Ca(2+) oscillations were mediated by cyclic intracellular Ca(2+) release and required external Ca(2+) for their maintenance. Importantly, as the frequency of the Ca(2+) oscillations increased, the extent of contraction increased. ET-induced contraction was also associated with an increase in Ca(2+) sensitivity. In "model" slices in which the [Ca(2+)](i) was constantly maintained at an elevated level by pretreatment of slices with caffeine and ryanodine, the addition of ET increased bronchiole and arteriole contraction. These results indicate that ET-induced contraction of bronchiole and arteriole SMCs is regulated by the frequency of Ca(2+) oscillations and by increasing the sensitivity of the contractile machinery to Ca(2+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose F Perez-Zoghbi
- Dept. of Physiology, Univ. of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Ave. North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
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Perez JF, Sanderson MJ. The contraction of smooth muscle cells of intrapulmonary arterioles is determined by the frequency of Ca2+ oscillations induced by 5-HT and KCl. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005; 125:555-67. [PMID: 15928402 PMCID: PMC2234075 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200409217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Increased resistance of the small blood vessels within the lungs is associated with pulmonary hypertension and results from a decrease in size induced by the contraction of their smooth muscle cells (SMCs). To study the mechanisms that regulate the contraction of intrapulmonary arteriole SMCs, the contractile and Ca(2+) responses of the arteriole SMCs to 5-hydroxytrypamine (5-HT) and KCl were observed with phase-contrast and scanning confocal microscopy in thin lung slices cut from mouse lungs stiffened with agarose and gelatin. 5-HT induced a concentration-dependent contraction of the arterioles. Increasing concentrations of extracellular KCl induced transient contractions in the SMCs and a reduction in the arteriole luminal size. 5-HT induced oscillations in [Ca(2+)](i) within the SMCs, and the frequency of these Ca(2+) oscillations was dependent on the agonist concentration and correlated with the extent of sustained arteriole contraction. By contrast, KCl induced Ca(2+) oscillations that occurred with low frequencies and were preceded by small, localized transient Ca(2+) events. The 5-HT-induced Ca(2+) oscillations and contractions occurred in the absence of extracellular Ca(2+) and were resistant to Ni(2+) and nifedipine but were abolished by caffeine. KCl-induced Ca(2+) oscillations and contractions were abolished by the absence of extracellular Ca(2+) and the presence of Ni(2+), nifedipine, and caffeine. Arteriole contraction was induced or abolished by a 5-HT(2)-specific agonist or antagonist, respectively. These results indicate that 5-HT, acting via 5-HT(2) receptors, induces arteriole contraction by initiating Ca(2+) oscillations and that KCl induces contraction via Ca(2+) transients resulting from the overfilling of internal Ca(2+) stores. We hypothesize that the magnitude of the sustained intrapulmonary SMC contraction is determined by the frequency of Ca(2+) oscillations and also by the relaxation rate of the SMC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose F Perez
- Department of Physiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
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Perez JF, Sanderson MJ. The frequency of calcium oscillations induced by 5-HT, ACH, and KCl determine the contraction of smooth muscle cells of intrapulmonary bronchioles. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005; 125:535-53. [PMID: 15928401 PMCID: PMC2234076 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200409216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Increased resistance of airways or blood vessels within the lung is associated with asthma or pulmonary hypertension and results from contraction of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). To study the mechanisms regulating these contractions, we developed a mouse lung slice preparation containing bronchioles and arterioles and used phase-contrast and confocal microscopy to correlate the contractile responses with changes in [Ca2+]i of the SMCs. The airways are the focus of this study. The agonists, 5-hydroxytrypamine (5-HT) and acetylcholine (ACH) induced a concentration-dependent contraction of the airways. High concentrations of KCl induced twitching of the airway SMCs but had little effect on airway size. 5-HT and ACH induced asynchronous oscillations in [Ca2+]i that propagated as Ca2+ waves within the airway SMCs. The frequency of the Ca2+ oscillations was dependent on the agonist concentration and correlated with the extent of sustained airway contraction. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+ or in the presence of Ni2+, the frequency of the Ca2+ oscillations declined and the airway relaxed. By contrast, KCl induced low frequency Ca2+ oscillations that were associated with SMC twitching. Each KCl-induced Ca2+ oscillation consisted of a large Ca2+ wave that was preceded by multiple localized Ca2+ transients. KCl-induced responses were resistant to neurotransmitter blockers but were abolished by Ni2+ or nifedipine and the absence of extracellular Ca2+. Caffeine abolished the contractile effects of 5-HT, ACH, and KCl. These results indicate that (a) 5-HT and ACH induce airway SMC contraction by initiating Ca2+ oscillations, (b) KCl induces Ca2+ transients and twitching by overloading and releasing Ca2+ from intracellular stores, (c) a sustained, Ni2+-sensitive, influx of Ca2+ mediates the refilling of stores to maintain Ca2+ oscillations and, in turn, SMC contraction, and (d) the magnitude of sustained airway SMC contraction is regulated by the frequency of Ca2+ oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose F Perez
- Department of Physiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
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Gosens R, Meurs H, Bromhaar MMG, McKay S, Nelemans SA, Zaagsma J. Functional characterization of serum- and growth factor-induced phenotypic changes in intact bovine tracheal smooth muscle. Br J Pharmacol 2002; 137:459-66. [PMID: 12359627 PMCID: PMC1573514 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0704889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
1. The present study aims to investigate whether phenotypic changes, reported to occur in cultured isolated airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells, are of relevance to intact ASM. Moreover, we aimed to gain insight into the signalling pathways involved. 2. Culturing of bovine tracheal smooth muscle (BTSM) strips for up to 8 days in the presence of 10% foetal bovine serum caused a time-dependent (t(1/2)=2.8 days) decrease in maximal contraction (E(max)) to methacholine compared to serum-deprived controls (E(max)=74+/-4% at day 8). A reduced E(max) was also found using insulin-like growth factor-1 (30 ng ml(-1)) and platelet-derived growth factor (30 ng ml(-1)), but not using epidermal growth factor (10 ng ml(-1)) (E(max)=83+/-3, 67+/-8, 100+/-4%, respectively). Similar serum and growth factor-induced changes in E(max) were found for KCl-induced contraction (65+/-9, 80+/-7, 64+/-11% and 107+/-2%, respectively). 3. Strong correlations were found between the growth factor-induced reductions in E(max) and their proliferative responses, assessed by [(3)H]-thymidine-incorporation, in BTSM cells. (r=0.97, P=0.002 for methacholine and r=0.93, P=0.007 for KCl). 4. The PDGF-induced reduction in E(max) was inhibited completely by combined treatment with either PD 98059 (30 micro M) or LY 294002 (10 micro M). 5. These results indicate that serum and growth factors may cause a functional shift towards a less contractile phenotype in intact BTSM, which is associated with their proliferative response and dependent on signalling pathways involving the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinoud Gosens
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, University Centre for Pharmacy, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Janssen LJ. Ionic mechanisms and Ca(2+) regulation in airway smooth muscle contraction: do the data contradict dogma? Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2002; 282:L1161-78. [PMID: 12003770 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00452.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In general, excitation-contraction coupling in muscle is dependent on membrane depolarization and hyperpolarization to regulate the opening of voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels and, thereby, influence intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)). Thus Ca(2+) channel blockers and K(+) channel openers are important tools in the arsenals against hypertension, stroke, and myocardial infarction, etc. Airway smooth muscle (ASM) also exhibits robust Ca(2+), K(+), and Cl(-) currents, and there are elaborate signaling pathways that regulate them. It is easy, then, to presume that these also play a central role in contraction/relaxation of ASM. However, several lines of evidence speak to the contrary. Also, too many researchers in the ASM field view the sarcoplasmic reticulum as being centrally located and displacing its contents uniformly throughout the cell, and they have focused almost exclusively on the initial single [Ca(2+)] spike evoked by excitatory agonists. Several recent studies have revealed complex spatial and temporal heterogeneity in [Ca(2+)](i), the significance of which is only just beginning to be appreciated. In this review, we will compare what is known about ion channels in ASM with what is believed to be their roles in ASM physiology. Also, we will examine some novel ionic mechanisms in the context of Ca(2+) handling and excitation-contraction coupling in ASM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Janssen
- Asthma Research Group, Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, St. Joseph's Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8N 4A6.
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