Alpha-toxin, the major cytotoxic agent elaborated by Staphylococcus aureus, was the first
bacterial exotoxin to be identified as a pore former. The protein is secreted as a single-chain …

The vascular myogenic response refers to the acute reaction of a blood vessel to a change
in transmural pressure. This response is critically important for the development of resting …

Vascular smooth muscle (VSM) plays an important role in the regulation of vascular function.
Identifying the mechanisms of VSM contraction has been a major research goal in order to …

KCl has long been used as a convenient stimulus to bypass G protein-coupled receptors
(GPCR) and activate smooth muscle by a highly reproducible and relatively “simple” …

Background Phosphorylation of proteins is a major factor in regulation of many cell
processes. Most of the kinases phosphorylate either Ser/Thr or Tyr and associated with each …

Low molecular weight G proteins of the Rho subfamily are regulators of actin cytoskeletal
organization. In contrast to the heterotrimeric G proteins, the small GTPases are not directly …

In the rabbit mesenteric arterial smooth muscle skinned by saponin, Ca2+ induced
contraction in a concentration-dependent manner. Guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio) triphosphate …

Myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) plays a pivotal role in smooth muscle contraction by
regulating Ca 2+ sensitivity of myosin light chain phosphorylation. A smooth muscle …

The mechanism of G protein-mediated sensitization of the contractile apparatus of smooth
muscle to Ca2+ was studied in receptor-coupled alpha-toxin-permeabilized rabbit portal …

Evidence is accumulating that the rho family, a member of the ras p21-related small GTP-
binding protein superfamily, regulates cell morphology, cell motility, and smooth muscle …