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The effect of airway epithelium on smooth muscle contractility in bovine trachea
Author(s) -
Barnes Peter J.,
Cuss Francis M.,
Palmer James B.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1985.tb08946.x
Subject(s) - contractility , epithelium , respiratory epithelium , acetylcholine , histamine , medicine , muscle contraction , endocrinology , contraction (grammar) , isoprenaline , stimulation , biology , chemistry , respiratory system , pathology
1 In bovine tracheal smooth muscle the presence of airway epithelium significantly reduced the sensitivity and maximum contractile response to histamine, 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) or acetylcholine. 2 Muscle contraction induced by K + and electrical field stimulation was of similar magnitude both in the presence or absence of adherent epithelium. 3 The effect of epithelium on smooth muscle contractility was unaffected by pretreatment with indomethacin (10 −6 M) or mepacrine (5 × 10 −5 M). 4 The relaxant response to isoprenaline was enhanced in the presence of epithelium, although this was significant only in the case of precontraction with 5‐HT. 5 It is concluded that the bronchial epithelium may produce a relaxant factor which is not a cyclo‐oxygenase or lipoxygenase product. The production of this factor may be reduced or lost following epithelial damage and this may be important in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in asthma.