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. 1972 Mar;44(3):510–516. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1972.tb07287.x

Interaction of prostaglandin E1 and calcium in the guinea-pig myometrium

Elizabeth M Eagling, H G Lovell, V R Pickles
PMCID: PMC1665807  PMID: 5040661

Abstract

1. Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) increased the responses of guinea-pig myometrium in a low calcium medium to added Ca2+, acetylcholine, vasopressin, Ba2+ and Sr2+. The concentration of PGE1 used (50 pg/ml) was clearly below the threshold for direct spasmogenesis. In the presence of PGE1 the doses necessary for half-maximal contractions were decreased by factors of 2·6 for Ca2+, 2·4 for acetylcholine, and 3·7 for vasopressin. The responses to Ba2+ or Sr2+, though studied less extensively, were found to be affected in much the same manner.

2. The K+ depolarized myometrium in a low Ca2+ medium contracts in response to added Ca2+. These responses also were increased by low concentrations of PGE1, but the effective concentration of PGE1 was indistinguishable from that for direct spasmogenesis.

3. Possible mechanisms for the interaction of PGE1 and Ca2+ in the myometrium are discussed. It is tentatively suggested that these findings may be relevant to the physiological control of human myometrium.

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Selected References

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

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