Biomaterial Database

Detection of contraction of isolated smooth muscle cells in suspension. 1977

J J Singer, and F S Fay

A Coulter counter has been utilized to assess the contractile state of suspensions of isolated smooth muscle cells prepared by enzymatic digestion of stomach muscularis of Bufo marinus. Pulse-duration and pulse-hieght histograms were constructed from the pulses that occur as cells pass through the Coulter counter orifice. Contraction of cells in suspension causes shifts in these pulse histograms to a greater percent of shorter duration pulses and of larger pulse heights. These shifts are consistent with teh assumption made in out studies that the duration and amplitude of the pulses generated are related to the length and cross-sectional area (or square of the diameter), respectively, of the cell. Shifts in the pulse-height histogram were found to be more reliable. The results of a calibration experiment in which shifts in the histograms of pulse heights were linerrly related to shifts in the histograms of all lengths measured from photomicrographs suggested that the shifts in the pulse-height histogram could be used as a continuous index of changes in the contractile state of a population of cells in suspension.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D009130	Muscle, Smooth	Unstriated and unstriped muscle, one of the muscles of the internal organs, blood vessels, hair follicles, etc. Contractile elements are elongated, usually spindle-shaped cells with centrally located nuclei. Smooth muscle fibers are bound together into sheets or bundles by reticular fibers and frequently elastic nets are also abundant. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Muscle, Involuntary,Smooth Muscle,Involuntary Muscle,Involuntary Muscles,Muscles, Involuntary,Muscles, Smooth,Smooth Muscles
D002024	Bufo marinus	A species of the true toads, Bufonidae, becoming fairly common in the southern United States and almost pantropical. The secretions from the skin glands of this species are very toxic to animals.	Rhinella marina,Toad, Giant,Toad, Marine,Giant Toad,Giant Toads,Marine Toad,Marine Toads,Toads, Giant,Toads, Marine
D002217	Carbachol	A slowly hydrolyzed CHOLINERGIC AGONIST that acts at both MUSCARINIC RECEPTORS and NICOTINIC RECEPTORS.	Carbamylcholine,Carbacholine,Carbamann,Carbamoylcholine,Carbastat,Carbocholine,Carboptic,Doryl,Isopto Carbachol,Jestryl,Miostat,Carbachol, Isopto
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
D013270	Stomach	An organ of digestion situated in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen between the termination of the ESOPHAGUS and the beginning of the DUODENUM.	Stomachs