Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Interaction of Acetylcholine, Calcium and Depolarization in the Contraction of Smooth Muscle

Nature volume 190, pages 350–352 (1961)Cite this article

Abstract

SMOOTH muscle which has been depolarized by external application of potassium still contracts in response to acetylcholine1. This response requires calcium (ref. 2, and personal communication from D. H. Jenkinson). Calcium ions alone cause the depolarized smooth muscle to contract. If an isolated rat uterus is immersed at room temperature in calcium-free isotonic potassium sulphate–Ringer (22.0 gm. K2SO4, 0.36 gm. KHCO3, 1.0 gm. glucose/litre) it contracts briefly and then relaxes completely. At this stage the application of very low concentrations of calcium (0.1 mM) causes the development of a reversible tension. The magnitude of the tension increases with concentration of calcium up to about 1.2 mM. Higher concentrations of calcium produce diminishing responses in tension. The maximum tensions developed by calcium are less than the maximum of which the preparation is capable, and they can be increased by acetylcholine. The effect of 10−5 acetylcholine added to 2.4 mM calcium is shown in Fig. 1.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Evans, D. H. L., Schild, H. O., and Thesleff, S., J. Physiol., 143, 474 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Robertson, P. A., Nature, 186, 316 (1960).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lüttgau, H. C., and Niedergerke, R., J. Physiol., 143, 486 (1958).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Frank, G. B., J. Physiol., 151, 518 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bülbring, E., J. Physiol., 122, 200 (1955).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, University College, London, W.C.1

    K. A. P. EDMAN & H. O. SCHILD

Authors
  1. K. A. P. EDMAN
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. O. SCHILD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

EDMAN, K., SCHILD, H. Interaction of Acetylcholine, Calcium and Depolarization in the Contraction of Smooth Muscle. Nature 190, 350–352 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/190350b0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/190350b0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing