| First Author | Morano I | Year | 2000 |
| Journal | Nat Cell Biol | Volume | 2 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 371-5 |
| PubMed ID | 10854329 | Mgi Jnum | J:82859 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2655877 | Doi | 10.1038/35014065 |
| Citation | Morano I, et al. (2000) Smooth-muscle contraction without smooth-muscle myosin. Nat Cell Biol 2(6):371-5 |
| abstractText | Here we have used gene-targeting to eliminate expression of smooth-muscle myosin heavy chain. Elimination of this gene does not affect expression of non-muscle myosin heavy chain, and knockout individuals typically survive for three days. Prolonged activation, by KCl depolarisation, of intact bladder preparations from wild-type neonatal mice produces an initial transient state (phase 1) of high force generation and maximal shortening velocity, which is followed by a sustained state (phase 2) characterized by low force generation and maximal shortening velocity. Similar preparations from knockout neonatal mice do not undergo phase 1, but exhibit a normal phase 2. We propose that, in neonatal smooth muscle phase 1 is generated by recruitment of smooth-muscle myosin heavy chain, whereas phase 2 can be generated by activation of non-muscle myosin heavy chain. We conclude that phase 1 becomes indispensable for survival and normal growth soon after birth, particularly for functions such as homeostasis and circulation. |
