Biomaterial Database

Sympathetic vasoconstriction takes an unexpected pannexin detour. 2015

Morten Schak Nielsen

The Danish National Research Foundation Centre for Cardiac Arrhythmia and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. schak@sund.ku.dk.

Sympathetic vasoconstriction plays an important role in the control of blood pressure and the distribution of blood flow. In this issue of Science Signaling, Billaud et al. show that sympathetic vasoconstriction occurs through a complex scheme involving the activation of large-pore pannexin 1 channels and the subsequent release of adenosine triphosphate that promotes contraction in an autocrine and paracrine manner. This elaborate mechanism may function as a point of intercept for other signaling pathways—for example, in relation to the phenomenon "functional sympatholysis," in which exercise abrogates sympathetic vasoconstriction in skeletal muscle. Because pannexin 1 channels are inhibited by nitric oxide, they may function as a switch to turn off adrenergic signaling in skeletal muscle during exercise.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009131	Muscle, Smooth, Vascular	The nonstriated involuntary muscle tissue of blood vessels.	Vascular Smooth Muscle,Muscle, Vascular Smooth,Muscles, Vascular Smooth,Smooth Muscle, Vascular,Smooth Muscles, Vascular,Vascular Smooth Muscles
D009419	Nerve Tissue Proteins		Proteins, Nerve Tissue,Tissue Proteins, Nerve
D001794	Blood Pressure	PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS.	Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014661	Vasoconstriction	The physiological narrowing of BLOOD VESSELS by contraction of the VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE.	Vasoconstrictions
D015398	Signal Transduction	The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway.	Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal
D017630	Connexins	A group of homologous proteins which form the intermembrane channels of GAP JUNCTIONS. The connexins are the products of an identified gene family which has both highly conserved and highly divergent regions. The variety contributes to the wide range of functional properties of gap junctions.	Connexin,Connexin Complex Proteins,Gap Junction Proteins,Gap Junction Channel Proteins,Gap Junction Protein,Junction Protein, Gap,Junction Proteins, Gap
D018340	Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1	A subclass of alpha-adrenergic receptors that mediate contraction of SMOOTH MUSCLE in a variety of tissues such as ARTERIOLES; VEINS; and the UTERUS. They are usually found on postsynaptic membranes and signal through GQ-G11 G-PROTEINS.	Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptors,Receptors, alpha-1 Adrenergic,alpha-1 Adrenergic Receptors,Adrenergic Receptor, alpha-1,Adrenergic alpha-1A Receptors,Adrenergic alpha-1B Receptors,Adrenergic alpha-1D Receptors,Receptor, Adrenergic, alpha-1,Receptor, Adrenergic, alpha-1A,Receptor, Adrenergic, alpha-1B,Receptor, Adrenergic, alpha-1D,Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1A,Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1B,Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1D,alpha 1 Adrenergic Receptor,alpha-1A Adrenergic Receptor,alpha-1B Adrenergic Receptor,alpha-1C Adrenergic Receptor,alpha-1D Adrenergic Receptor,Adrenergic Receptor, alpha 1,Adrenergic Receptor, alpha-1A,Adrenergic Receptor, alpha-1B,Adrenergic Receptor, alpha-1C,Adrenergic Receptor, alpha-1D,Adrenergic Receptors, alpha-1,Adrenergic alpha 1 Receptors,Adrenergic alpha 1A Receptors,Adrenergic alpha 1B Receptors,Adrenergic alpha 1D Receptors,Receptor, alpha-1 Adrenergic,Receptor, alpha-1A Adrenergic,Receptor, alpha-1B Adrenergic,Receptor, alpha-1C Adrenergic,Receptor, alpha-1D Adrenergic,Receptors, Adrenergic alpha-1,Receptors, Adrenergic alpha-1A,Receptors, Adrenergic alpha-1B,Receptors, Adrenergic alpha-1D,Receptors, alpha 1 Adrenergic,alpha 1 Adrenergic Receptors,alpha 1A Adrenergic Receptor,alpha 1B Adrenergic Receptor,alpha 1C Adrenergic Receptor,alpha 1D Adrenergic Receptor,alpha-1 Adrenergic Receptor,alpha-1 Receptors, Adrenergic,alpha-1A Receptors, Adrenergic,alpha-1B Receptors, Adrenergic,alpha-1D Receptors, Adrenergic