Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The role of calcium in the control of vascular tone as assessed by the Ca2+ indicator aequorin

  • Review Section
  • Published:
Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

An overview is given of the current understanding of the mechanism of contraction of vascular smooth muscle. The regulation of vascular tone by intracellular ionized calcium levels appears to occur primarily through calciumdependent phosphorylation of the myosin light chains by the enzyme myosin light chain kinase. Evidence is presented that additional relatively calcium-independent processes also exist and contribute to the regulation of vascular tone. A scheme is presented whereby vasoconstriction may occur in the absence of any change in cytoplasmic ionized calcium levels. The multiplicity of excitation-contraction coupling pathways in vascular smooth muscle predicts a multitude of rational therapeutic approaches to vascular pathologies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Morgan JP, Morgan KG. Vascular smooth muscle: The first recorded Ca2+ transients.Pflügers Archiv 1982;395:75–77.

    Google Scholar 

  2. DeFeo TT, Briggs GM, Morgan KG, Ca++ signals obtained with multiple indicators in mammalian vascular muscle cells.Am J Physiol 1987;253:H1456-H1461.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Papageorgiou P, Morgan KG. Changes in [Ca2+]i in vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from coarctation-hypertensive rats.Biophys J 1989;55:469a.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Morgan JP, Morgan KG. Stimulus-specific patterns of intracellular calcium levels in ferret portal vein smooth muscle.J Physiol (London) 1984;351:155–167.

    Google Scholar 

  5. DeFeo TT, Morgan KG, Calcium-force relationships as detected with aequorin in two different vascular smooth muscles of the ferret.J Physiol (London) 1985;369:269–282.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bradley AB, Morgan KG. Alteration in cytoplasmic calcium sensitivity during porcine coronary artery contraction as detected by aequorin.J Physiol (London) 1987;385:437–448.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Jiang MJ, Morgan KG. Intracellular calcium levels in phorbol ester-induced contraction of vscular muscle.Am J Physiol 1987;253:H1365-H1371.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Morgan KG, Papageorgiou P, Jiang MJ. Pathophysiological role of [Ca2+]i in the development of vascular smooth muscle tone.Am J Cardiol 1989;64:35F-40F.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Kamm KE, Stull JT. The function of myosin and myosin light chain kinase phosphorylation in smooth muscle.Ann Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 1985;25:593–620.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Jiang MJ, Morgan KG. Agonist-specific myosin plhosphorylation and intracellular calcium during isometric contractions of arterial smooth muscle.Pflügers Archiv 1989; 413:637–643.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ruzycky AL, Morgan KG. Involvement of the protein kinase C system in calcium-force relationships in ferret aorta.Br J Pharmacol 1989;97:391–400.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Sobieszek A. Ca-linked phosphorylation of a light chain of vertebrate smooth muslce myosin.Eur J Biochem. 1977;73:477–483.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Rembold CM, Murphy RA. [Ca2+]i-dependent myosin phosphorlation in phorbol diester stimulated smooth muscle contraction.Am J Physiol 1988;255:C719-C723.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. DeFeo TT, Morgan KG. Calcium-free coupling mechanisms during vasodilator-induced relation of ferret aorta.J Physiol 1989;412:123–133.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Pawlowski J, Morgan KG. The warming-induced contraction of aortic smooth muscle is independent of extracellular and intracellular calcium.Biophys J 1990;57:157a

    Google Scholar 

  16. Pawlowski J, Morgan KG. Differences in temperature dependence of intrinsic tone betweenaorta and renal artery.Biophys J 1989;55:72a.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Singer HA, Baker KM. Calcium dependence of 12, 13-dibutyrate-induced force and myosin light chain phosphorylation in arterial smooth muscle.J Pharmacol Exp Therap 1987;243:814–821.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Chatterjee M, Tejada M. Phorbol ester-induced contractiions in chemically skinned vascular smooth muscle.Am J Physiol 1986;251:C356-C361.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Worley PF, Baraban JM, DeSouza EB, Snyder SH. Mapping second messenger systems in the brain: Differential localizations of adenylate cyclase and protein kinase-C.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1986;83:4053–4057.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Berridge MJ, The molecular basis of communication within the cell.Sci Amer 1985;253:142–152.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Nishizuka Y. Perspectives on the role of protein kinase C in stimulus-response coupling.J Natl Cancer Inst 1986;76:363–370.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Matozaki T, Williams JA. Multiple sources of 1, 2-diacylglycerol in isolated rat pancreatic acini stimulated by cholecystokinin.J Biol Chem 1989;264:14729–14734.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Martinson EA, Goldstein D, Brown JH. Muscarinic receptor activation of phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis.J Biol Chem 1989;264:14748–14754.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard Thorndike Laboratory, Beth Israel Hospital, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, 02215, Boston, MA, USA

    Kathleen G. Morgan

Authors
  1. Kathleen G. Morgan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Morgan, K.G. The role of calcium in the control of vascular tone as assessed by the Ca2+ indicator aequorin. Cardiovasc Drug Ther 4, 1355–1362 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02018263

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02018263

Key words

Search

Navigation