title: Models to study airway smooth muscle contraction in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro: implications in understanding asthma.
abstract: Asthma is a chronic obstructive airway disease characterised by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and airway wall remodelling. The effector of airway narrowing is the contraction of airway smooth muscle (ASM), yet the question of whether an inherent or acquired dysfunction in ASM contractile function plays a significant role in the disease pathophysiology remains contentious. The difficulty in determining the role of ASM lies in limitations with the models used to assess contraction. In vivo models provide a fully integrated physiological response but ASM contraction cannot be directly measured. Ex vivo and in vitro models can provide more direct assessment of ASM contraction but the loss of factors that may modulate ASM responsiveness and AHR, including interaction between multiple cell types and disruption of the mechanical environment, precludes a complete understanding of the disease process. In this review we detail key advantages of common in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro models of ASM contraction, as well as emerging tissue engineered models of ASM and whole airways. We also highlight important findings from each model with respect to the pathophysiology of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council and Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King's College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Pawan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Min-Hyung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Paul-Andre
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rissé
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.forename: Harm
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maarsingh
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koziol-White
authors.forename: Aruni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Halayko
authors.forename: Adrian R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism*; D023822:Tissue Engineering