title: Airway smooth muscle in asthma: just a target for bronchodilation?
abstract: Airway smooth muscle (ASM) has long been recognized as the main cell type responsible for bronchial hyperresponsiveness. It has, thus, been considered as a target for bronchodilation. In asthma, however, there is a complex relationship between ASM and inflammatory cells, such as mast cells and T lymphocytes. Moreover, the increased ASM mass in asthmatic airways is one of the key features of airway remodeling. This article aims to review the main concepts about the 3 possible roles of ASM in asthma: (1) contractile tone, (2) inflammatory response, and (3) remodeling.
authors.affiliation: University of Sydney, Discipline of Pharmacology and Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Judith L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: Reynold A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Panettieri
authors.forename: Audreesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D056151:Airway Remodeling; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology*; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena