The role of ca2+sensitisation in p2x receptor-induced contractions of rat small pulmonary artery

P2X receptors are Ca2+-permeable, ligand-gated cation channels, which are activated by ATP. In arteries, such as the rat small pulmonary artery (SPA), they elicit vasoconstriction (Chootip et al., 2002), which is dependent upon extracellular Ca2+. An increase in the sensitivity of the contractile proteins to cytoplasmic Ca2+ via Rho kinase (RhoK) and protein kinase C (PKC) can also play a role in vasoconstriction. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the involvement of Ca2+ sensitisation in P2X receptor-mediated contractions of rat SPA, using the RhoK inhibitor Y27632 and PKC inhibitor GF109203X. (Courtesy of Springer