Electrical conduction along endothelial cell tubes from mouse feed arteries: confounding actions of glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Electrical conduction along endothelium of resistance vessels has not been determined independently of the influence of smooth muscle, surrounding tissue or blood. Two interrelated hypotheses were tested: (i) Intercellular conduction of electrical signals is manifest in endothelial cell (EC) tubes; and (ii) Inhibitors of gap junction channels (GJCs) have confounding actions on EC electrical and Ca(2+) signalling.

Experimental approach

Intact EC tubes were isolated from abdominal muscle feed (superior epigastric) arteries of C57BL/6 mice. Hyperpolarization was initiated with indirect (ACh) and direct (NS309) stimulation of intermediate- and small-conductance Ca(2+) -activated K(+) channels (IK(Ca) /SK(Ca) ). Remote membrane potential (V(m) ) responses t

SUBMITTER: Behringer EJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3417504 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature