T-type, but not L-type, voltage-gated calcium channels are dispensable for lymphatic pacemaking and spontaneous contractions.

ABSTRACT: The spontaneous contractions of collecting lymphatic vessels provide an essential propulsive force to return lymph centrally. These contractions are driven by an intrinsic electrical pacemaker, working through an unknown underlying ionic mechanism that becomes compromised in some forms of lymphedema. In previous studies, T-type voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels (VGCCs) were implicated in this pacemaking mechanism, based on the effects of the reputedly selective T-type VGCC inhibitors mibefradil and Ni²⁺. Our goal was to test this idea in a more definitive way using genetic knock out mice. First, we demonstrated through both PCR and immunostaining that mouse lymphatic muscle cells expressed Ca_v3.1 and Ca_v3.2 and produced functional T-type VGCC currents

SUBMITTER: To KHT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6952455 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature