▪ Abstract The main contributors to increases in [Ca2+] i and tension are the entry of Ca2+
through voltage-dependent channels opened by depolarization or during action potential …

▪ Abstract Phosphorylation of Ser19 on the 20-kDa regulatory light chain of myosin II
(MLC20) by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) is essential for …

Stimulation of muscarinic M3 and M2 receptors on gastrointestinal smooth muscle elicits
contraction via activation of G proteins that are coupled to a diverse set of downstream …

Localized, transient elevations in cytosolic Ca2+, known as Ca2+ sparks, caused by Ca2+
release from sarcoplasmic reticulum, are thought to trigger the opening of large conductance …

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) make up the muscular portion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract
from the distal oesophagus to the internal anal sphincter. Coordinated contractions of these …

Signal transduction in gastric and intestinal smooth muscle is mediated by receptors
coupled via distinct G proteins to various effector enzymes, including PI-specific PLC-β1 and …

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract has multifold tasks of ingesting, processing, and assimilating
nutrients and disposing of wastes at appropriate times. These tasks are facilitated by several …

Ca2+ wave activity was monitored in the longitudinal (LM) layer of isolated murine caecum
and proximal colon at 35° C with fluo‐4 AM and an iCCD camera. Both intracellular (within …

Calcium signalling in smooth muscles is complex, but our understanding of it has increased
markedly in recent years. Thus, progress has been made in relating global Ca2+ signals to …

We measured free intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+] i) and Ca2+ current (ICa)
simultaneously in voltage-clamped, indo-1-loaded smooth muscle cells isolated from the …