Smooth Muscle Excitation Contraction Coupling Flashcards
What is smooth muscle conduction controlled by?
Myosin
What is different about actin in smooth muscle?
No troponin or tropomyosin
What replaces t tubules in smooth muscle?
Caveoli
What are caveoli?
Small invaginations in the membrane
What type of smooth muscle is in hollow organs?
Unitary/syncytial
What ion determines smooth muscle membrane potential and muscle contraction?
Calcium
What are two possible sources of calcium?
Extracellular
Sarcoplasmic reticulum
3 ways calcium channels can be opened in smooth muscle?
Leaky sodium channels
Stretch
Neuromuscular junction varicosities
How can calcium release be initiated?
G reactive protein stimulation by vasoconstrictors
What is activated after G reactive proteins are stimulated?
Phospholipase C
What does IP3 do?
Triggers calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum
What must happen to calcium first to initiate contraction?
Bind to calmodulin
What enzyme does calmodulin activate?
Myosin light chain kinase
What does myosin light chain kinase do?
Phosphoralytes myosin head causing conformational change
What enzyme prevents smooth muscle contraction?
Myosin light chain phosphatase