Smooth muscles

The smooth muscle cells are distinguished by their centrally located cell nuclei and optically uniform myofibrils which do not have crossstri- 

One disadvantage of skinned muscle is that Ca must be added to cause contraction. The resulting heats of mixing and binding must be backed off from the results. This was done successfully and it was found possible to titrate the effects of increasing the Ca concentration using a Hamilton syringe and also 

Because the chemical environment in skinned muscle is well defined, energy balance studies do not lead to unexplained heat values [4]. This is not to dismiss studies on native smooth muscle. It has been shown [77], for instance, that maintenance of tension in the smooth muscle in the pig coronary artery does not entail the dissipation of large amounts of Gibbs energy and is not dependent on the presence of normal Ca pools. 

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Acts to constrict small arteries, thereby increasing blood pressure and to contract smooth muscle. Used in cases of peripheral vasomotor collapse. 

It is a powerful antagonist of histamine, antagonizing its effect on smooth muscle of the bronchioles, bladder and partially the intestines and preventing the dilation of capillaries. Promethazine is used in the treatment of allergic reactions. 

Many compounds contain more than one functional group Prostaglandin Ei a hormone that regulates the relaxation of smooth muscles con tains two different kinds of carbonyl groups Classify each one (aldehyde ketone carboxylic acid ester amide acyl chloride or acid anhydride) Identify the most acidic proton in prostaglandin Ei and use Table 1 7 to estimate its pK ... 

Three years later Robert F Furchgott discov ered that the relaxing of smooth muscles such as blood vessel walls was stimulated by an unknown substance produced in the lining of the blood vessels (the endothelium) He called this substance the endothelium-dependent relaxing factor or EDRF and in 1986 showed that EDRF was NO Louis J Ignarro reached the same conclusion at about the same time Further support was provided by Salvador Moncada who showed that endothelial cells did in deed produce NO and that the l arginine to l citrulline conversion was responsible... 

R = UH3), and morphine (2, R = H), a different derivative of 77 (R = H), ie, (+)-/V-norprotosinomenine (86), serves as the pregenitor of erythraline (87), one of the bases found ia E thnna cristagalli (60). The alkaloids fouad ia all plant parts of E thnna have been iatensively studied because many of them produce smooth muscle paralysis, much like tubocurariae (9). 

Nontraditional Hormones. Novel hormones identified ia cardiovascular tissue have profound effects on maintenance of blood pressure and blood volume ia mammals. Atrial natriuretic hormone (ANH) is a polypeptide hormone secreted from the atria of the heart. When the cardiac atrium is stretched by increased blood volume, secretion of ANH is stimulated ANH ia turn increases salt and water excretion and reduces blood pressure (6). Endothelin is a polypeptide hormone secreted by endothehal cells throughout the vasculature. Although endothelin is released into the circulation, it acts locally in a paracrine fashion to constrict adjacent vascular smooth muscle and increase blood pressure (7). 

The posterior lobe of the pituitary, ie, the neurohypophysis, is under direct nervous control (1), unlike most other endocrine organs. The hormones stored in this gland are formed in hypothalamic nerve cells but pass through nerve stalks into the posterior pituitary. As early as 1895 it was found that pituitrin [50-57-7] an extract of the posterior lobe, raises blood pressure when injected (2), and that Pitocin [50-56-6] (Parke-Davis) causes contractions of smooth muscle, especially in the utems (3). Isolation of the active materials involved in these extracts is the result of work from several laboratories. Several highly active posterior pituitary extracts have been discovered (4), and it has been deterrnined that their biological activities result from peptide hormones, ie, low molecular weight substances not covalendy linked to proteins (qv) (5). 

Lead is toxic to the kidney, cardiovascular system, developiag red blood cells, and the nervous system. The toxicity of lead to the kidney is manifested by chronic nephropathy and appears to result from long-term, relatively high dose exposure to lead. It appears that the toxicity of lead to the kidney results from effects on the cells lining the proximal tubules. Lead inhibits the metaboHc activation of vitamin D in these cells, and induces the formation of dense lead—protein complexes, causing a progressive destmction of the proximal tubules (13). Lead has been impHcated in causing hypertension as a result of a direct action on vascular smooth muscle as well as the toxic effects on the kidneys (12,13). 

In addition, vinpocetine selectively inhibits a specific calcium, calmodulin-dependent cycHc nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDF) isozyme (16). As a result of this inhibition, cycHc guanosine 5 -monophosphate (GMP) levels increase. Relaxation of smooth muscle seems to be dependent on the activation of cychc GMP-dependent protein kinase (17), thus this property may account for the vasodilator activity of vinpocetine. A review of the pharmacology of vinpocetine is available (18). 

ANPs play an important role in the maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis by counterbalancing the renin—angiotensin (RAS) system. ANP, the main circulating form of the natriuretic peptides, effectively relaxes vascular smooth muscle, promotes the excretion of sodium and water, and in the CNS inhibits vasopressin release and antagonizes AT-II induced thirst. 

Long-lasting vasoconstriction is produced by the ETs in almost all arteries and veins and several studies have shown that ET-1 causes a reduction in renal blood flow and urinary sodium excretion. ET-1 has been reported to be a potent mitogen in fibroblasts and aortic smooth muscle cells and to cause contraction of rat stomach strips, rat colon and guinea pig ileum. In the central nervous system, ETs have been shown to modulate neurotransmitter release. 

OT receptors are localized ia the brain hypothalamus, limbic system, cortex, striatum, olfactory system, and brain stem. In the periphery, OT is best known for its stimulation of uterine smooth muscle and the milk ejection reflex. Thr , Om ]oxytocin(l—8),... 

Opium is the dried, powdered sap of the unripe seed pod of Papaver somniferum, a poppy plant indigenous to Asia minor. Theophrastus described its medical properties in the third century BC, but the Sumerians, ca BC 4000, probably perceived its utility. Arab physicians knew of the dmg, and Arab traders carried it to the Orient where it was used as a treatment for dysentery. Paracelsus is credited with repopularizing the dmg in western Europe in the early sixteenth century by formulating opium into "laudanum", which is still in use. More than 20 different alkaloids (qv) of two different classes comprise 25% of the weight of dry opium. The benzylisoquinolines, characterized by papaverine [58-74-2] (1.0%), a smooth muscle relaxant, and noscapine [128-62-1] (6.0%), an antitussive agent, do not have any analgesic effects. The phenanthrenes, the second group, are the more common and include 10% morphine (1, = R = H), 0.5% codeine [76-57-3], C gH2 N03, (1, R = H, R = CH3), and 0.2 thebaine [115-37-7], C 2H2 N03, (2). 

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