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Human Reproduction, Vol. 15, No. 9, 1927-1931, September 2000
© 2000 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Source of calcium for contractile responses of large and small human intramyometrial arteries

A. Kostrzewska1,3, B. Modzelewska1 and S. Batra2

1 Department of Biophysics, Medical Academy, ul. Mickiewicza 2A, 15–230 Bialystok, Poland and 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital, S-221 85 Lund, Sweden

The role of calcium (Ca2+) released from intracellular stores and the entry of extracellular Ca2+ for vasopressin (AVP)-induced responses in large and small, human, intramyometrial arteries was investigated. There was no statistical difference as revealed by pD2 values (–log EC50), in the sensitivity of large and small vessels to AVP. Nimodipine caused an inhibition of contractions induced by low concentrations (10–10 mol/l) of AVP in both types of vessels but, at higher concentration (>10–10 mol/l), whereas responses in small arteries were diminished, in large arteries they remained unchanged. In Ca2+-free solution, responses of large and small arteries to potassium and to 10–10 mol/l AVP were abolished. With 10–6 mol/l AVP, response in small arteries was completely inhibited, whereas in large arteries it was reduced by ~50%. Additional experiments were done on large arteries. Thapsigargin (TSG), which causes depletion of internal Ca2+ stores, caused a significant reduction in responses. Following treatment with TSG, responses to AVP in Ca2+-free solution were almost completely inhibited but arteries responded again when incubated in normal physiological salt solution. The results indicate that in contrast to large arteries, small arteries are highly dependent on extracellular Ca2+. Response of large arteries showed considerable dependence on Ca2+ stored internally particularly, for maximum activation.

Key words: contraction/human uterine arteries/vasopressin

3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Biophysics, Medical Academy, ul. Mickiewicza 2A, 15–230 Bialystok, Poland. E-mail: akost{at}ckst.ac.bialystok.pl


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