title: Calcium signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells: from physiology to pathology.
abstract: Cyclic variations in calcium (Ca(2+)) concentrations, through a process called excitation-contraction coupling, allow regulation of vascular smooth muscle cells contractility and thus modulation of vascular tone and blood pressure. As a second messenger, Ca(2+) also activates signaling cascades leading to transcription factors activation in a process called excitation-transcription coupling. Furthermore, recent evidences indicate an interaction between post-transcriptional regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs) and Ca(2+) signaling. All these actors, which are frequently altered in vascular diseases, will be reviewed here.
authors.affiliation: Inserm UMRS 956/ Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris6, 91 boulevard de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France. alexandre.marchand@upmc.fr
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchand
authors.forename: Aniella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abi-Gerges
authors.forename: Youakim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saliba
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merlet
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lompré
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D056966:Excitation Contraction Coupling; D006801:Humans; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002118:Calcium