title: Nonselective cation channels in cardiac and smooth muscle cells.
abstract: In cardiac and smooth muscle cells, nonselective cation channels can be activated by hormones and neurotransmitters, by cell stretch, and by changes in membrane potential. Activation of nonselective cation channels can depolarize the cell membrane, induce Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and contraction. Activation of nonselective cation channels may trigger contraction even when membrane depolarization is absent or when voltage-gated Ca2+ channels are blocked, provided the Ca2+ permeability of these channels is sufficiently high.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Cologne, Köln, FRG.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isenberg
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D016232:Endothelins / Q000494:pharmacology; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology*; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000502:physiology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D016232:Endothelins; D007473:Ion Channels; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D015222:Sodium Channels; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D002118:Calcium