A new molecular pathway has been identified that is critical for maintaining the smooth muscle tone that allows the passage of materials through the digestive system. Researchers at UMass Medical ...

The contraction of smooth muscle is an essential process underpinning diverse physiological functions ranging from gastrointestinal motility to vascular regulation. At its core, smooth muscle ...

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas are the first to use genetically engineered mice containing a fluorescent molecule to examine in real time the chemical reactions that result in ...

The contractile responses of esophageal smooth muscle (SM) induced by platelet-activating factor (PAF) involve the activation of L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (L-type VDCCs), ...

The molecular regulation of smooth-muscle contraction is an important determinant of airway responses during an acute asthmatic attack. In acute asthma, various triggers, including viral illnesses and ...

A research group led by Dr. Keisuke Obara, Dr. Kento Yoshioka, and Professor Yoshio Tanaka from the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, has ...

The 20-kD regulatory light chain (RLC) plays a central role in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction. Little is known about the structure or expression of smooth muscle myosin light chain (MLC) ...

A method for differentiating human pluripotent stem cells into several subtypes of smooth muscle cell should aid the study and treatment of vascular disease. Figure 1: Derivation of origin-specific ...

A research group has uncovered important details about how platelet-activating factor (PAF)—a powerful molecule involved in inflammation and allergic reactions—triggers contractions in the smooth ...