title: Ion channel regulation of intracellular calcium and airway smooth muscle function.
abstract: Airway hyper-responsiveness associated with asthma is mediated by airway smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and has a complicated etiology involving increases in cell contraction and proliferation and the secretion of inflammatory mediators. Although these pathological changes are diverse, a common feature associated with their regulation is a change in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)). Because the [Ca(2+)](i) itself is a function of the activity and expression of a variety of ion channels, in both the plasma membrane and sarcoplasmic reticulum of the SMC, the modification of this ion channel activity may predispose airway SMCs to hyper-responsiveness. Our objective is to review how ion channels determine the [Ca(2+)](i) and influence the function of airway SMCs and emphasize the potential of ion channels as sites for therapeutic approaches to asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA. jose.perez-zoghbi@ttuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Jose F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Perez-Zoghbi
authors.forename: Charlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karner
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: Yazan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Alrashdan
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sanderson
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; D002118:Calcium