What are the signaling pathways used by norepinephrine to contract the artery? A demonstration using guinea pig aortic ring segments.
The laboratory exercise described in this article used a simple preparation and a straightforward protocol to illustrate how the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) induces an increase of tension in an artery. This was a practical class designed for undergraduate students of the University of Tours. The students performed several protocols to understand how NE acts to contract aortic ring vessels, which sources of calcium are mobilized, and whether the calcium sensitivity of the contractile regulatory apparatus is involved. The design of this exercise allowed students to participate actively in an exercise demonstrating that many mechanisms are involved and act additively to allow arterial tone to develop. Furthermore, the students were introduced to an isolated organ chamber technique that is used to study cellular mechanisms of many tissues and that is still important for smooth muscle research.
Laboratoire de Physiopathologie de la paroi arterielle, Croissance et Cancer, EA2103, Faculté de Médecine, 37032 Tours, France. vandier@univ-tours.fr
Christophe
C
Vandier
Jean-Yves
JY
Le Guennec
Gilles
G
Bedfer
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007753:Laboratories; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology*; D015240:Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate / Q000494:pharmacology; D010827:Physiology / Q000193:education; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013663:Teaching; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D015240:Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate; D002110:Caffeine; D009543:Nifedipine; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine