Contribution of transient and sustained calcium influx and sensitization to depolarization-induced contractions of the intact mouse aorta

摘要

BackgroundElectrophysiological studies of L-type Ca²⁺ channels in isolated vascular smooth muscle cells revealed that depolarization of these cells evoked a transient and a time-independent Ca²⁺ current. The sustained, non-inactivating current occurred at voltages where voltage-dependent activation and inactivation overlapped (voltage window) and its contribution to basal tone or active tension in larger multicellular blood vessel preparations is unknown at present. This study investigated whether window Ca²⁺ influx affects isometric contraction of multicellular C57Bl6 mouse aortic segments.