• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.31-41
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• 1986

The sufficient myoplasmic $Ca^{++}$ to react with the contractile proteins is necessary to induce contraction of a cardiac muscle. These $Ca^{++}$ for the production of muscle contraction are supplied from the three recognized $Ca^{++}$ sources; internal $Ca^{++}$ release via the sarcoplasmic reticulum(SR), $Ca^{++}$ influx through a gated Ca-channel in the membrane as a Isi, and $Ca^{++}$ transport by the mechanism of Na/ca exchange. However, it is still controversial which $Ca^{++}$ sources act as a main contributor for myoplasmic $Ca^{++}$, Therefore, this study was undertaken in order to examine the $Ca^{++}$ sources for the contraction of frog ventricle. There is evidence that the SR is sparse in frog ventricular fibers, and that T-tubules are absent. Isolated ventricular strips of frog, Rana nigromaculata, were used in this experiment. Isometric tension was recorded by force transducer, and membrane potentials of ventricular muscles were measured through the intracellular glass microelectrodes, which were filled with 3M KCI and had resistance of $30{\pm}50M{\Omega}$. All experiments were performed at room temperature in a tris·buffered Ringer solution which was aerated with 100% $O_2$. Isotonic high K, low Na solution was used to induce K-contracture, K-contracture appeared at the concentration of 20 to 30mM-KCI and was potentiated in parallel with the increase in KCI concentration. The contracture had two components: an initial rapid phasic and a subsequent slow tonic contractile responses. Membrane Potentials measured at normal Ringer solution(2.5mM KCI) was -90 to -100 mV, and decreased linearly as the KCI concentration increased; -55mV at 20mM.KCI, -45mV at 30 mM.KCI, -30 mY at 50 mM.KCI, and -12 mV at 100 mM.KCI. K-contracture was evoked firstly at the membrane potential of -45 mV. The contracture was potentiated by the increase of bathing extracellular $Ca^{++}$ concentration. However, in the absence of $Ca^{++}$ the contracture was almost not induced by 50 mM.KCI solution. Caffeine(20mM) in normal Ringer solution, which is known to release $Ca^{++}$ from SR without substantial effects on the $Ca^{++}$ fluxes across the surface membrane, did not affect membrane potential and also not initiate contracture, but the caffeine in 20 mM-KCI Ringer solution produced a contracture. Above results suggest that the main $Ca^{++}$ source for the K·contracture of frog ventricle is $Ca^{++}$ influx through the voltage-dependent Ca-channel, and that in the K-contracture at the concentration of 100 mM-KCI, the mechanism of Na/ca exchange also partly contributs, in addition to the $Ca^{++}$ influx.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권6호
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• pp.769-774
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• 1997

Non-neuronal high affinity binding sites for benzodiazepines have been found in many peripheral tissues including cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle, and have been designated as 'peripheral benzodiazepine receptor'. Benzodiazepines have been shown to induce relaxation of the ileal, vesical, and uterine smooth muscles. However, it is still unclear about possible involvement of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor on the contractility of trachealis muscle. This study was performed to investigate the role of the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor on the contractility of canine trachealis muscle. Canine trachealis muscle strips of 15 mm long were suspended in an isolated organ bath containing 1 ml of physiological salt solution maintained at $37^{\circ}C$, and aerated with $95%\;O_2/5%\;CO_2$. Isometric myography was performed, and the results of the experiments were as follows: Ro5-4684, FGIN-1-27 and clonazepam reduced a basal tone of isolated canine trachealis muscle strip concentration dependently, relaxant actions of RoS-4684 and FGIN-1-27 were antagonized by PK11195, a peripheral benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. Flumazenil, a central type antagonist, did not antagonize the relaxant action of Peripheral type agonists. Saturation binding assay of [3H]Ro5-4864 showed a high affinity$(Kd=5.33{\pm}1.27nM,\;Bmax=\;867.3{\pm}147.2\;fmol/mg\;protein)$ binding site on the canine trachealis muscle. Ro 5-4684 suppressed the bethanechol-, 5-hydroxyoyptamine- and histamine- induced contractions. Platelet activating factor (PAF) exerted strong and prolonged contraction in trachealis muscle strip. Strong tonic contraction by PAE was attenuated by Ro 5-4684, but not by WEB 2086, a PAF antagonist. Based on these results, it is concluded that the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor mediates the inhibitory regulation of contractilty of canine trachealis muscle.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.44-50
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• 2002

Introduction : Orthostatic tremor develops in the legs while standing up with no weakness, pain or imbalance in the leg and the tremor is characteristically not observed when walking. However there have been some confusions about orthostatic tremor in several aspects. For the past ten years, we have observed 4 patients with orthostatic tremor. In each case tests were performed to investigate the following three important areas of inquiry about orthostatic tremor. Firstly, whether this disorder is an independent diagnostic entity or a variant of essential tremor. Secondly, whether the progress of this disorder is specifically related with standing posture. Lastly, the nature of the pathophysiologic mechanism behind the appearance of the tremor when standing after the lapse of a certain latent period and its disappearance upon the commencement of walking. Methods : Our 4 cases of orthostatic tremor were studied clinically, electrophysiologically, and pharmacologically. Electrophysiological tests included tremor spectrum test and electromyography. Results : We observed the presence of this tremor in several other tonic postures, as well as its absence, in a vertically lifted position from all our cases. Our cases registered a variable tremor frequency between 5 and 12 Hz according to the tremor spectrum test and EMG. Furthermore all our 4 cases demonstrated patterns of both synchronous EMG activity and alternating EMG activity at various times in homologous muscles of both legs. Orthostatic tremor was improved significantly with propranolol as well as clonazepam. Conclusions : From the results of our study we drew the following conclusions. It is probable that orthostatic tremor is simply a variant of essential tremor rather than being an independent diagnostic entity and that in most cases its development is specifically related with muscle contraction rather than merely with the act of standing. Furthermore we discovered a clue in the previously described neural control mechanism that the nuclear bag fibers in the muscle spindle have lag time of several seconds in their response to muscle strength and that their baseline does not reset fully in rapidly moving muscle. This neural control mechanism could offer sufficient explanation for the phenomena of tremor appearance when standing and disappearance when walking in orthostatic tremor.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.454-474
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• 2002

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a very potent dilatator and a nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) neurotransmitter or neuromodulator in the peripheral and the central nervous systems. The mechanisms of action of VIP were examined in aortic circular and in uterine longitudinal smooth muscle strips of the rat. The effects of sympathetic neurotransmitter were investigated in gastric and aortic circular muscle strips of the mouse and the rat. The effects of silver spike point, SSP, low frequency electrical stimulations of VIP, sympathetic neurotransmitter and $\beta$-endorphin were examined in plasma, serum and 24h urine from the healthy volunteer. In gastric smooth muscle strips from the mouse, adrenergic neurotransmitter norepinephrine was inhibitory effected, followed by caused phasic and tonic contraction to the, muscrine receptor agonist carbachol and acetylcholine, respectively. In urine from the healthy volunteer, both norepinephrine and epinephrine were significantly decreased in continue type and low frequency (3 Hz) of SSP electrical stimulations. The contractile responses to S-HT in uterine longitudinal smooth muscle strips of the rats were completely decreased by a VIP 1 $\mu$M. The contractile responses to PGF2$\alpha$ were not decreased by a VIP. In plasma and serum from the healthy volunteer, both VIP and $\beta$-endorphin were significantly increased in continue type and low frequency (3 Hz) of SSP electrical stimulations. Therefore, this study demonstrate that VIP has the capacity to relax vascular or gastric smooth muscles in part by stimulating the generation of NO, and silver spike point low frequency electrical stimulation has the capacity both to decrease sympathetic neurotransmitters and to increase VIP, $\beta$-endorphin.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.171-177
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• 2011

Tonic smooth muscle exhibit the latch phenomenon: high force at low myosin regulatory light chains (MRLC) phosphorylation, shortening velocity (Vo), and energy consumption. However, the kinetics of MRLC phosphorylation and cellular activation in phasic smooth muscle are unknown. The present study was to determine whether $Ca^{2+}$-stimulated MRLC phosphorylation could suffice to explain the agonist- or high $K^+$-induced contraction in a fast, phasic smooth muscle. We measured myoplasmic [$Ca^{2+}$], MRLC phosphorylation, half-time after step-shortening (a measure of Vo) and contractile stress in rabbit urinary bladder strips. High $K^+$-induced contractions were phasic at both $22^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$: myoplasmic [$Ca^{2+}$], MRLC phosphorylation, 1/half-time, and contractile stress increased transiently and then all decreased to intermediate values. Carbachol (CCh)-induced contractions exhibited latch at $37^{\circ}C$: stress was maintained at high levels despite decreasing myoplasmic [$Ca^{2+}$], MRLC phosphorylation, and 1/half-time. At $22^{\circ}C$ CCh induced sustained elevations in all parameters. 1/half-time depended on both myoplasmic [$Ca^{2+}$] and MRLC phosphorylation. The steady-state dependence of stress on MRLC phosphorylation was very steep at $37^{\circ}C$ in the CCh- or $K^+$-depolarized tissue and reduced temperature flattend the dependence of stress on MRLC phosphorylation compared to $37^{\circ}C$. These data suggest that phasic smooth muscle also exhibits latch behavior and latch is less prominent at lower temperature.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.382-395
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• 1992

GABA는 중추신경계의 대표적인 신경전달 물질로서 $GABA_A$수용체 또는 $GABA_B$수용체에 작용하여 진정 작용, 항 불안 작용, 및 근이완 작용을 하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 근래에는 말초조직에도 GABA가 존재하며 신경조정인자 혹은 신경전달인자로서 작용한다는 보고가 있다. 정관에 대한 자율신경 지배는 아드레날린성, 콜린성과 비콜린성 비아드레날린성 신경섬유들이 분포하고 있으나, 종 혹은 부위에 따라 이들 구성요소들의 수축성에 대한기여도가 다른 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 실험에서는 흰쥐의 전립선 부위 정관의 기본장력 및 전기장 유발 수축에 대한 교감 신경성, 부교감 신경성 및 퓨린성 효현제의 영향을 관찰하였으며, 정관의 흥분성 약물 및 전기장 유발 수축에 미치는 GABA 및 GABA 관련 약물의 영향을 관찰함으로서 정관의 수축운동에 대한 GABA의 작용기전을 규명해 보고자 흰쥐(Sprague-Dawley)의 전립선 부위 정관 절편을 적출 근편 실조에 현수하고, 등척성 장력을 측정하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. GABA, muscimol 및 baclofen은 전기장자극(0.2 Hz, 1 msec, 80 V) 유발 수축을 농도 의존적으로 억제하였으며 그 효력은 GABA, baclofen 그리고 muscimol 순이었다. 2. GABA의 억제작용은 $GABA_B$ 수용체 길항제인 DAVA에 의하여 길항되었으나, $GABA_A$ 수용체 길항제인 bicuculline에 의해서는 길항되지 않았다. 3. Baclofen의 억제작용은 DAVA에 의하여 길항되었으나 muscimol의 억제작용은 bicuculline에 의해서는 길항되지 않았다. 4. Norepinephrine과 ATP는 농도 의존적으로 정관의 수축력을 증가 시켰으나 acetylcholine은 영향을 미치지 못하였다. 5. GABA, baclofen 및 muscimol은 정관의 기본 장력에는 영향을 미치지 않았으며, GABA는 norepinephrine과 ATP 유발 수축에는 영향을 주지 못하였다. 6. 적출 정관을 20초간 전기장 자극을 가하였을 때 ATP 수용체 탈감작제인 mATP를 전처치한 경우에는 FPC가 감소되었고, 신경원에서 catecholamine을 고갈시키는 reserpine을 전처치한 경우에는 STC가 감소되었다. 7. GABA는 mATP를 전처치한 군에서는 정관의 전기장 유발 수축에 영향을 주지 못하였으나, reserpine을 전처치한 군에서는 전기장 유발 수축을 억제하였다. 이상의 결과로 보아 흰쥐정관의 전립선 부위에는 아드레날린성 신경전달기전과 퓨린성 신경전달기전이 동시에 작용하고 있으며, GABA는 주로 신경원의 $GABA_B$ 수용체를 통하여 ATP의 유리를 억제하는 것으로 사료된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.503-516
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• 2020

KCNQ family constitutes slowly-activating potassium channels among voltage-gated potassium channel superfamily. Recent studies suggested that KCNQ4 and 5 channels are abundantly expressed in smooth muscle cells, especially in lower urinary tract including corpus cavernosum and that both channels can exert membrane stabilizing effect in the tissues. In this article, we examined the electrophysiological characteristics of overexpressed KCNQ4, 5 channels in HEK293 cells with recently developed KCNQ-specific agonist. With submicromolar EC₅₀, the drug not only increased the open probability of KCNQ4 channel but also increased slope conductance of the channel. The overall effect of the drug in whole-cell configuration was to increase maximal whole-cell conductance, to prolongate the activation process, and left-shift of the activation curve. The agonistic action of the drug, however, was highly attenuated by the co-expression of one of the β ancillary subunits of KCNQ family, KCNE4. Strong in vitro interactions between KCNQ4, 5 and KCNE4 were found through Foster Resonance Energy Transfer and co-immunoprecipitation. Although the expression levels of both KCNQ4 and KCNE4 are high in mesenteric arterial smooth muscle cells, we found that 1 μM of the agonist was sufficient to almost completely relax phenylephrine-induced contraction of the muscle strip. Significant expression of KCNQ4 and KCNE4 in corpus cavernosum together with high tonic contractility of the tissue grants highly promising relaxational effect of the KCNQ-specific agonist in the tissue.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.241-257
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• 1987

The effects of external $Ca^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}-antagonists$ on the spontaneous contractions and electrical activities were investigated in guinea-pig stomach in order to clarify the mechanism for the generation of slow waves. Electrical responses of circular smooth muscle cells were recorded using glass capillary microelectrodes filled with 3 M KCl. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% $O_2$ and kept at $35^{\circ}C$. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The amplitude of spontaneous contractions was maximal at around 2-4 mM $Ca^{2+}$, whereas their frequency was inversely related with external $Ca^{2+}$ within the range of 0.5 to 16 mM $Ca^{2+}$. 2) Verapamil suppressed the amplitude of spontaneous contraction in a dose-dependent manner, while the frequency of spontaneous contractions was almost not changed over the whole concentration of verapamil $(0.01{\sim}5\;mg/l)$. 3) Manganese increased both the amplitude and the frequency of spontaneous contractions dose-dependently in low $Mn^{2+}$ (below 0.05 mM $Mn^{2+}$), while their amplitude and frequency were decreased in high $Mn^{2+}$ (above 0.1 mM $Mn^{2+}$). 4) The ampltude and maximum rate of rise of slow waves were incrased in high $Ca^{2+}$ solution. In $Ca^{2+}-free$ solution, the spontaneous contractions recorded simultaneously with slow waves ceased and tonic contraction ($Ca^{2+}-free$ contracture) was developed in parallel with membrane depolarization and the disappearance of slow waves. 5) Verapamil (1 mg/1) decreased the amplitude and maximum rate of rise of slow waves and it depolarized the membrane by about 6 mV, whereas the frequency of slow waves was not affected by verapamil. 6) Manganese showed different characteristic effects between low and high $Mn^{2+}$ on the slow waves: In low $Mn^{2+}$ (0.05 mM $Mn^{2+}$), the initial rapid increases and the subsequent gradual decreases in three parameters of slow waves (amplitude, rate of rise, and frequency of slow waves) till a new steady state were observed. However, in high $Mn^{2+}$ (0.5 mM $Mn^{2+}$) slow waves disappeared and membrane was depolarized. From the above results, the following conclusions could be made: 1) $Ca^{2+}$ is necessary for a generation of the slow waves, even though it is small amount. 2) Verapamil suppresses the spontaneous contractions of gastric antral strip by the decreases in amplitude and maximum rate of rise of slow waves, while this drug does not block the $Ca^{2+}-channel$ involved in the generation of slow waves. 3) Manganese has dual actions on the $Ca^{2+}-channels$; the $Ca^{2+}-channel$ involved in the generation of slow waves (or Na-Ca exchange system) or the channel for the generation of spike potentials are stimulated by a low concentration of $Mn^{2+}$, while both the $Ca^{2+}$. Channels are blocked by high concentration of $Mn^{2+}$.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.53-58
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• 1989

본 연구실에는 최근 수년동안 말라리아, 성병등에 민간약으로 사용되어 온 회양목(Buxus microphylla var. koreana Nakai)으로 부터 다수의 물질을 분리하여 그 약리작용을 경색하여왔다. Coumarin의 유도체인 buxuletin은 이뇨 작용이 있음이 인정되었으며, steroid 성 alkaloid인 Cyclobuxine $D(C_{25}H_{42}ON_2)$는 항염증작용, 흰쥐에서 심박동수 감소작용 및 적출 평활근 이완 작용을 나타냈다. 본 연구에서는 회양목에서 Cyclobuxine D의 유도체인 Cyclobuxine $E(C_{24}H_{38}ON_2)$를 분리하여 그 구조를 이화학적인 방법으로 규명하였으며 흰쥐의 십이지장 평활근에서 acetylcholine에 의해 유도되는 수축 작용에 대한 영향과 높은 칼륨 이온에 의해 활성화되는 칼슘 채널에 대한 Cyclobuxine E의 영향을 관찰하였다. Cyclobuxine E는 적출 십이지장 평활근에서 acetylcholine의 수축작용을 현저히 억제하였으며, Calcium-depleted potassium-depolarizing 용액에 담근 후 $CaCl_2$를 가함으로써 나타나는 이중적인 수축작용을 용량적으로 차단하였다. 이상의 십이지장 평활근에 대한 Cyclobuxine E의 작용은 Cyclobuxine E가 칼륨에 의해 활성화되는 칼슘 채널 (아마, voltage-dependent calcium channel)을 통한 칼슘의 세포막 통과를 차단하므로 인해 나타남을 시사한다.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.52-61
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• 2006

이상의 결과를 종합하면, 인삼 총사포닌은 본 실험의 조건에서 배뇨개선 효과가 있으며 이에 관여하는 총사포닌의 주 효능은 근위부요도를 이완시킴으로써 이루어지는 것으로 생각된다. 그리고 인삼 총사포닌은 혈류역동학적으로 안전하게 음경해면체 평활근을 이완시켜 음경발기를 유발시키는 것으로 생각된다.