Midterm 2 Flashcards
what occurs in the latch state of vascular smooth muscle contraction (caused by tonic stimulation)?
- sustained stimulation maintains modest increases in Ca2+ required for sustained tension
- Ca2+ leads to low levels of MLCK activation (cross-bridges already formed)
- MLCP dephosphorylates a portion of myosin molecules
- dephosphorylated myosin has a low rate of detachment from actin
- slow cross-bridge detachment maintains tension with lower ATP use
why is development of force is VSM slow?
- it doesn’t need to be fast
- requires a slow, sustained contraction
- VSM must sustain vasoconstriction for min-hours
what are the characteristics of the force-velocity relationship of VSM?
- slow velocity of shortening
- high force generation
- a large range of length due to “side polar” myosin thick filaments (different isoform)
how does smooth muscle shortening velocity increase?
increases with fraction of MLC that is phosphorylated
- increased calcium binds more calmodulin (Ca-CaM)
- activates more MLCK, more MLC phosphorylated
- leads to increased shortening velocity and maximum force (velocity and force dictated by MLCK activity)
how are store-operated channels (SOCs) involved in Ca2+ regulation?
ex) Orai in plasma membrane of VSM
- connects to STIM (SR Ca2+ sensor on SR)
- STIM detects low levels of Ca2+ in SR, allowing Orai to allow Ca2+ from extracellular space to directly enter SR
how are receptor-operated channels (ROCs) involved in Ca2+ regulation?
- second-messenger activated (ex. GPCR - Gq)
- often non-selective cation channels; can work in 2 ways:
- can open directly and allow Ca2+ influx
- can open allowing cation influx, depolarizing the membrane and open Cav1.2 channels
what is Istretch and how does it contribute to Ca2+ regulation?
- Istretch is stretch-activated; enters through K+ channels or non-selective ion channel
- can directly allow Ca2+ influx or depolarize the membrane and open Cav1.2 channels
how is Ca2+ released from the SR?
- through RYR3 channels activated by Ca2+ binding (CICR - not a big factor in VSM)
- through IP3R channels activated by IP3 binding (greater factor)
which SERCA isoform is present in VSM?
SERCA2b (SERCA2a in cardiac muscle)
- much slower
in the Ca2+ vs time graph during VSM contraction, what mechanisms are responsible for the transient Ca2+ peak and the sustained Ca2+ plateau?
transient Ca2+ peak:
- SR Ca2+ release
sustained Ca2+ plateau:
- Ca2+ entry via ROCs, SOCs, and Cav1.2
in the Ca2+ vs time graph during VSM contraction, what mechanisms are responsible for the clearance of cytosolic Ca2+? what are their properties?
- NCX (3Na in, 1Ca out): causes final fall; low affinity, high capacity (no ATP required)
- PMCA (1Ca out for every ATP): causes initial fall; high affinity, low capacity
- SERCA: causes initial fall; high affinity, low capacity
low capacity because they require ATP
where does the IP3 that is required to activate IP3Rs come from?
ex) SNS activation
- NE binds a1-adrenergic receptors, activating Gq
- Gq activates PLC which converts PIP2 (in the membrane) to inositol triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG)
- IP3 activates IP3R on SR, increasing SR Ca2+ release
how does DAG contribute to VSM regulation?
- activates PKC which inhibits MLCP
- inhibited MLCP increased Ca2+ sensitivity of VSM contraction
- increases cross-bridge formation and force of contraction -> vasoconstriction
in summary, what are the transporters involved in Ca2+ regulation in the sarcolemma?
Ca2+ entry:
- Cav1.2
- ROCs
- SOCs
- stretch-activated cation channel
extracellular efflux:
- NCX
- PMCA
in summary, what are the transporters involved in Ca2+ regulation in the sarcoplasmic reticulum?
- SR Ca2+ release channels: RYR3 and IP3
- SR Ca2+ uptake by SERCA and PLB
what are the dominating mechanisms in each type of muscle for excitation-contraction coupling?
- skeletal: voltage-dependent Ca2+ release (VDCR)
- cardiac: calcium induced calcium release (CICR)
- smooth: IP3-induced calcium release (IP3ICR)
what is VDCR?
- physical coupling of Ca channel and RYR
- depolarization required for RYR Ca2+ release but Ca2+ entry not necessary
what is CICR?
- Ca2+ entry through Cav1.2 is an absolute requirement
- Cav1.2 is in close proximity with RYR
- triggers RYR Ca2+ release from SR
what is IP3ICR?
- Cav1.2 and RYR not in close opposition (little CICR)
- binding of IP3 to SR IP3 receptors triggers Ca2+ release (RYR causing some CICR)
- role for Ca2+ entry pathways across sarcolemma
what are the different types of VSM regulation?
1) frequency dependent (eg. GI tract)
- summation
- AP upstroke initiated by Cav1.2
2) slowly depolarizing waves (eg. uterus)
- oscillating membrane potential
3) tonic depolarization induced waves, no APs (eg. multi-unit SMCs)
4) pharmacomechanical coupling
- force generation w/o depolarization
- most common and diverse stimulation of VSM
what ways are there to depolarize the membrane?
- pacemaker channels (gut)
- inhibition of Na/K-ATPase (slower depolarization)
- changes in K+ channel
- non-selective cation channels
what mediators and second messengers are involved in pharmacomechanical coupling?
- mediators: drugs, hormones, NTs, local environmental changes
- second messengers altering Ca2+: IP3, cGMP, cAMP
how is VSM neurally regulated?
at the varicosity of a sympathetic axon synapsing onto a VSM cell, neural force generation occurs from fastest to slowest by the following mechanisms:
1) ATP (binds to non-selective cation channel (P2x receptor) causing Ca2+ and Na+ influx)
2) norepinephrine (binds to a1-adrenergic receptor, Gq activation, PLC, IP3, IP3R, SR Ca2+ release)
3) neuropeptide Y (binds Y1 receptor, increases intracellular Ca2+)
what factors are involved in endothelial regulation of VSM contraction?
- endothelium-derived relaxation factor (EDRF)
- now known to be nitric oxide (NO)
- endothelin (ET)
- endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)
how are EDRF/NO levels increased in VSM endothelium?
ex) in response to ACh binding m3-muscarinic receptor on endothelium-> activates Gq and increases intracellular Ca2+
- increased Ca2+ activates endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) which converts L-arginine to NO
exogenous factors: ex. glycerol trinitrate (GTN) administered as a pill/spray
- enters endothelial cells and is a direct donor of NO
what does EDRF/NO do after it has passively diffused from the endothelium to the VSM cells?
- activates guanylyl cyclase (GC) -> GC converts GTP to cGMP -> elevated cGMP activates protein kinase G (PKG)
- PKG does 2 things:
1) phosphorylates phospholamban (PLB), removing the brake from SERCA, allowing faster Ca2+ uptake into the SR
2) phosphorylates MLCK, inhibiting it (inhibits contraction)
net effect: NO = faster relaxation = vasodilation
what is phosphodiesterase E5 (PDE5)? how does Viagra affect this?
- PDE5 breaks down cGMP to GMP to return to homeostatic conditions
- sildenafil (Viagra) inhibits PDE5, keeping cGMP levels high and promoting vasodilation -> treatment for erectile dysfunction
how does endothelin work in high pressure vessels (ex. arteries)? what is the net effect?
- endothelium releases endothelin -> endothelin binds to ETa receptors on VSM cells
- ETa activates Gq pathway (PLC, PIP2 -> IP3)
- Ca2+ is released from SR through IP3R
- net effect: vasoconstriction
how does endothelin work in low pressure vessels? what is the net effect?
- endothelium released endothelin -> endothelin binds to ETb receptors on endothelial cells
- stimulates eNOS and NO pathway
- net effect: vasodilation
how does endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) work?
(less understood)
- EDHF released from endothelial cells activates K+ channels, causing increased K+ efflux -> hyperpolarizes membrane and making Em far away from threshold so Cav1.2 won’t open
- no Ca2+ influx = no VSM contraction = vasodilation
what other tissues are involved in regulation of VSM contraction?
- Mast cells
- kidneys
- pituitary and hypothalamus
- surrounding tissue
how do Mast cells regulate VSM contraction?
- produce histamine
- histamine binds to H1 receptor on endothelium
- activates NOS -> vasodilation
how do the kidneys regulate VSM contraction?
- produce renin
- renin converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin I
- angiotensin I is converted to angiotensin II by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
- angiotensin II binds AT1 receptors on VSM cells
- activates Gq, PLC, IP3, Ca2+ release pathway
- angiotensin II = very potent vasoconstrictor (can cause cardiac hypertrophy by raising BP)
how do the pituitary and hypothalamus regulate VSM contraction?
- produces antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
- ADH prevents water loss at the kidney
- ADH = vasoconstriction
how does surrounding tissue regulated VSM contraction?
- produces metabolites (usually means we need more blood)
- adenosine, increased K+, increased CO2, decreased O2, decreased pH
- usually cause vasodilation
what does Q equal? how does it change?
Q = MAP/R
- changes in Q are due to changes in R (which is due to changes in r)
what receptors are present in cardiac muscle vs VSM? what are their effects?
cardiac = B1 (Gs pathway) (NE > E)
- increase HR
- increase contractility
skeletal muscle and coronary arteries = B2 (E > NE)
- vasodilation (epinephrine)
- increase blood supply during exercise
VSM = a1 (PLC pathway) (NE > E)
- profound vasoconstriction
- increase BP
what is the function of capillaries? how does their anatomy facilitate this?
- primary exchange for gases, nutrients, water, waste
- only one cell layer thick (only tunica intima layer)
where is capillary density the greatest?
in tissues with high O2 consumption
- high density: cardiac and skeletal muscle, glands, brain
- low density: cartilage, subcutaneous
are capillaries open all the time? how are they regulated?
no
- only 20% open in skeletal muscle at rest
- regulated by small arteries, arterioles, metarterioles (route to bypass capillaries)
- precapillary sphincters open/close in response to local conditions (not innervated by NS)
what are the types of capillaries?
from least to most leaky:
- continuous
- fenestrated
- sinusoidal (discontinuous)
what are the properties of continuous capillaries?
- most common
- junctions 10-15 nm wide
- blood brain barrier has tight junctions (restricts exchange to only specific elements)
what are the properties of fenestrated capillaries?
fenestrations = membrane-lined holes through cells
- 20-100 nm wide
- can be closed by diaphragm
- intestine, glomerulus, exocrine glands, etc.
what are the properties of sinusoidal (discontinuous) capillaries?
- large gaps between cells
- 100-1000 um
- facilitate exchange
- present where large materials involved in exchange (liver, spleen, bone marrow, etc.)
what are the mechanisms of transcapillary exchange?
- diffusion (gases, small solutes)
- filtration
- bi-directional vesicular transport
how does bi-directional vesicular transport work?
1 of 2 ways:
a) transcytosis of macromolecules
b) transendothelial channels (stack of fused endocytotic vesicles across cell)
- allows macromolecules to move straight through one side to the other
what is Fick’s Law of Diffusion?
J = ([solute]out - [solute]in) x P x A
- J = flux = quantity moved per unit time
- P = permeability coefficient
- A = capillary surface area
how does each type of molecule (gases, small solutes, polar molecules, large solutes) diffuse across the membrane?
- gases: direct (freely) diffusion across endothelial membrane (large P)
- small molecules: diffuse through small pores and clefts (ex. junctions)
- polar molecules: have decreased permeability (poor lipid solubility)
- large molecules: no diffusion above 60 kDa (albumin = 69 kDa)
what 2 forces govern filtration at the capillary (ie Starling forces)?
- hydrostatic pressure (~32 mmHg): blood pressure (falls as it travels through capillary from arterial to venous end)
- oncotic or plasmoid osmotic pressure (~25 mmHg): blood proteins (albumin, globulin, fibrinogen); remains constant b/c proteins in blood remain constant
what is the net filtration pressure?
0.3 mmHg
- 2-3 L/day
what forces dominate at the arteriolar end? the venular end?
- arteriolar end: hydrostatic > oncotic (allows filtration)
- venular end: hydrostatic < onctotic (allows absorption)
what factors can cause disturbances of net filtration balance but decreasing plasma protein concentration?
all increase leakiness of capillaries:
- pregnancy (increases blood volume; same amount of proteins but more blood)
- capillary injury
- severe burns
- inflammation (ex. due to infection, injury)
what happens when plasma protein concentration is decreased?
decreased oncotic pressure -> increased filtration -> increased interstitial fluid -> lymphatic tissue OR edema
when does edema (pooling of fluid in interstitial space) occur?
when lymphatic tissue capacity is exceeded:
- motionless (lymph not circulating)
- lymph glands removed
- lymph blocked by tumors
how does dehydration affect plasma protein concentration?
increases plasma protein concentration
how does standing affect net filtration balance?
increases venous pressure (blood pools in legs) -> increases filtration -> increases interstitial fluid -> lymphatic tissue OR edema
how does hypertension affect net filtration balance?
increases hydrostatic pressure -> increases filtration -> increases interstitial fluid -> lymphatic tissue OR edema
where does the lymph drain into from below the neck? from the left head and neck?
- below the neck: thoracic duct -> drains into left subclavian vein at junction with the left internal jugular
- left head and neck: thoracic duct
- right head and neck: right subclavian vein at junction with right internal jugular
what are properties of lymphatic capillaries?
- closed ends
- valve-like inter-endothelial junctions (gaps) -> open when interstitial pressure increases
- fine filaments that anchor lymph capillaries to surrounding tissue
what occurs during the expansion phase of lymphatic flow?
- interstitial P > lymphatic P
- interendothelial “valves” allow interstitial fluid to enter initial lymphatic
what occurs during the compression phase of lymphatic flow?
- movement of tissue (ex. skeletal muscle pump)
- lymphatic P > interstitial P -> causes interendothelial valves to close
- increased interstitial P opens the secondary lymph valves, forcing the lymph downstream
how is lymphatic flow regulated?
1) interstitial pressure: increased net efflux from capillaries -> increased interstitial P -> increased lymphatic flow
2) compression forces: skeletal muscle contraction propels lymph towards central areas
3) myogenic tone: stretch causes smooth muscle contraction and lymphatic constriction -> moves lymph towards central areas
what are some pathological conditions associated with the lymphatic system?
- removal of lymph nodes (ex. breast cancer) can cause lymphedema of hand, arm, back, breast, trunk
- elephantiasis: extensive swelling of lower half of body due to obstruction of lymph flow by parasitic round worms
what are properties of veins?
- 3 layers:
- tunica intima (with endothelial cells)
- tunica media (with VSM cells)
- tunica adventitia (with connective tissue and
nerves)
- highly compliant, very distensible
- 70% of blood in venous circulation at rest
- have valves for unidirectional flow
what are the properties of arteries?
high compliant and distensible
- important for their role in receiving high pressure blood flow
- allows arteries to reduce pulsatility and act as pressure reservoirs
(low volume capacity but can withstand large intramural pressure differences)
how does compliance of veins vary with blood pressure?
- compliance is very high at low blood pressures
- high capacitance: large change in V with small change in P
- capacitance allows veins to act as volume reservoirs
- compliance decreases at high blood pressures
(large volume capacity)
what is passive capacitance? what is active capacitance?
- passive: passive changes in venous volume (ex. flow changes)
- active: active changes in venous volume (ex. sympathetic vasoconstriction)
how does sympathetic stimulation (ex. hemorrhage) increase cardiac output?
constriction of arteriole VSM -> decreased flow into vascular bed -> decreased venous flow -> passive recoil of veins -> decreased venous volume -> increased venous return -> increased cardiac output
what kind of capacitance occurs in peripheral veins?
ex) in canines, direct sympathetic stimulation to peripheral circulation
- limb inflow decreases during sympathetic stimulation, decreasing limb outflow
- if limb inflow is held constant, limb outflow and capacitance are constant during sympathetic stimulation
capacitance changes in peripheral veins are passive (no vasoconstriction, veins are reacting to what is flowing through them)
what kind of capacitance occurs in splanchnic circulation?
ex) in canines, direct sympathetic stimulation to abdominal circulation
- when inflow rate held constant, sympathetic stimulation increases outflow
splanchnic circulation shows active capacitance
- ~200 mL
- increase CO by 20%
- 90% occurs in liver
- resting upright sympathetic drive is sufficient to induce near maximal active capacitance
what are varicose veins? what are some symptoms?
due to destruction of valves causing backflow of blood
- heavy/aching legs
- ankle swelling
- skin discolouration (build up of metabolites)
what are some complications and treatments of varicose veins?
complication:
- predisposition to syncope (blood pooling in legs, less reaching the brain)
- intolerance to standing
- eczema
- thrombophlebitis
treatment:
- compression socks
- elevation of legs
- anti-coagulant drugs
- vein removal
what determines venous return?
VR = Q = changeP/R
changeP = Pmeansystemicfilling - Prightatrial (driving force of VR)
R = resistance expressed for entire vasculature
- total peripheral resistance (TPR) (~20 mmHg/L/min)
what is the mean systemic filling pressure?
- theoretical pressure if the circulation is experimentally stopped and arterial and venous pressures equilibrate (~7 mmHg)
- represents the driving force of filling of the right atrium
how is MAP calculated?
MAP = diastolicP + 1/3pulsepressure
(pulse pressure = diastolic - systolic)
- Q = MAP/R
~93 mmHg
what is the critical closing pressure on the vascular function curve?
when transmural pressure is negative and the veins collapse
- top left portion of curve that is a horizontal line
what happens when RAP equals mean systemic filling pressure?
no CO or VR
what are the values of VR and RAP at resting?
- VR = 5 L/min
- RAP = 2 mmHg
- the lower the RAP, the greater the driving force for VR
what does the slope of the vascular function curve represent?
1/R (=Q/P)
- shallow slope = increased resistance (decreased Q for a given P)
- steep slope = decreased resistance (increased Q for a given P)
how do vasodilation and vasoconstriction affect the VFC?
- vasodilation: increased slope (decreased resistance), greater VR for a given RAP
- vasoconstriction: decreased slope (increased resistance), lower VR for a given RAP
how does blood volume affect the VFC?
shift the curve without affecting the slope (increase PMSF)
- ex) hemorrhage shifts curve left
- ex) blood transfusion shifts curve right
what happens to CO when RAP is increased? how is this disequilibrium between VR and CO restored?
- increased RAP increases CO but decreases VR
equilibrium restored: - increased CO will cause increases in VR by:
- increased venous pressure
- sucks blood out of RA, decreasing RAP
- after the brief increase in CO due to increased RAP, the decreased VR will decrease CO
want to maintain the steady-state point where CO=VR