Skip to main content
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1980 Jan;298:205–212. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1980.sp013076

Electrophysiological properties of the smooth muscle cell membrane of the dog coronary artery.

F Mekata
PMCID: PMC1279111  PMID: 7359392

Abstract

1. The electrical properties of dog coronary arterial smooth muscles were studied with the partitioned chamber method and Wheatstone Bridge method. Effects of intracellular and extracellular current and of field stimulation of nerve were examined. 2. Muscle from the anterior descending coronary artery showed cable properties, with a 2.4 mm space constant and a 455 msec time constant. Muscle strips from the circumflex coronary artery showed poor cell-to-cell connexions. 3. The smooth muscle of both coronary arteries was electrically quiescent and action potentials were not evoked even by strong outward current. 4. Field stimulation of the descending coronary artery induced either contraction or relaxation which were respectively associated with depolarization and hyperpolarization. These responses were blocked by tetrodotoxin (2 x 10(-7) g/ml). 5. Field stimulation produced depolarization when the membrane potential was higher than 60 mV and hyperpolarization when the membrane potential was lower than -50 mV. 6. The results suggest that, in the descending coronary artery, the smooth muscle including the innermost cells can be controlled by nerve.

Full text

PDF
205

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ARAKI T., OTANI T. Response of single motoneurons to direct stimulation in toad's spinal cord. J Neurophysiol. 1955 Sep;18(5):472–485. doi: 10.1152/jn.1955.18.5.472. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bell C. Transmission from vasoconstrictor and vasodilator nerves to single smooth muscle cells of the guinea-pig uterine artery. J Physiol. 1969 Dec;205(3):695–708. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Hirst G. D. Neuromuscular transmission in arterioles of guinea-pig submucosa. J Physiol. 1977 Dec;273(1):263–275. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp012093. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. KEATINGE W. R. MECHANISM OF ADRENERGIC STIMULATION OF MAMMALIAN ARTERIES AND ITS FAILURE AT LOW TEMPERATURES. J Physiol. 1964 Nov;174:184–205. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1964.sp007481. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Keatinge W. R. Ionic requirements for arterial action potential. J Physiol. 1968 Jan;194(1):169–182. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008400. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Mekata F. Current spread in the smooth muscle of the rabbit aorta. J Physiol. 1974 Oct;242(1):143–155. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010698. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Mekata F. Electrophysiological studies of the smooth muscle cell membrane of the rabbit common carotid artery. J Gen Physiol. 1971 Jun;57(6):738–751. doi: 10.1085/jgp.57.6.738. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mekata F. Rectification in the smooth muscle cell membrane of rabbit aorta. J Physiol. 1976 Jun;258(2):269–278. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1976.sp011419. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. SPEDEN R. N. ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF SINGLE SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS OF THE MESENTERIC ARTERY PRODUCED BY SPLANCHNIC NERVE STIMULATION IN THE GUINEA PIG. Nature. 1964 Apr 11;202:193–194. doi: 10.1038/202193a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Speden R. N. Adrenergic transmission in small arteries. Nature. 1967 Oct 21;216(5112):289–290. doi: 10.1038/216289a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Tomita T. Electrical responses of smooth muscle to external stimulation in hypertonic solution. J Physiol. 1966 Mar;183(2):450–468. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp007876. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES