title: Regulatory mechanisms of calcium sensitization of contractile elements in smooth muscle.
abstract: It is evident that smooth muscle contraction is regulated not only by the Ca2+/calmodulin/myosin light chain kinase system but also by modulation of Ca2+ sensitivity. Changes in free calmodulin concentrations, myosin light chain phosphorylation elicited by rho/rho-kinase, regulation of myosin phosphatase activity and thin filament-linked mechanisms are the possible mechanisms for regulation of Ca2+ sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pharmacology, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan. ahori@hongo.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium