To explain that bronchial smooth muscle undergoes sustained agonist-induced contractions in a Ca(2+)-free medium, we hypothesized that caveolae in the plasma membrane (PM) contain protected Ca(2+). We isolated caveolae from canine tracheal smooth muscle by detergent treatment of PM-derived microsomes. Detergent-resistant membranes were enriched in caveolin-1, a specific marker for caveolae as w...

Breathing at volumes lower than functional residual capacity (FRC) can induce changes in nonasthmatic airways consistent with the behaviour of asthmatic airways. This study investigated the chronic effect of breathing at volumes lower than FRC on the contractility of airway smooth muscle and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) content and activity. Sheep of three age groups (neonate, adolescent an...

Jones, Keith A., Gilbert Y. Wong, Christopher J. Jankowski, Masaki Akao, and David O. Warner. cGMP modulation of Ca21 sensitivity in airway smooth muscle. Am. J. Physiol. 276 (Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol. 20): L35–L40, 1999.—A b-escin-permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle preparation was used to test the hypothesis that cGMP decreases Ca21 sensitivity in airway smooth muscle primarily by inhi...

The airways contain a dense subepithelial microvascular plexus that is involved in the supply and clearance of substances to and from the airway wall. We set out to test the hypothesis that airway smooth muscle reactivity to bronchoconstricting agents may be dependent on airway mucosal blood flow. Immunohistochemical staining identified vasoconstrictor and vasodilator nerve fibers associated wi...

Distinct parasympathetic postganglionic neurons mediate contractions and relaxations of the guinea pig airways. We set out to characterize the vagal inputs that regulate contractile and relaxant airway parasympathetic postganglionic neurons. Single and dual retrograde neuronal tracing from the airways and esophagus revealed that distinct, but intermingled, subsets of neurons in the compact form...