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Birkhäuser

Airways Smooth Muscle

Structure, Innervation and Neurotransmission

  • Book
  • © 1994

Overview

Editors:
  1. David Raeburn

    1. Discovery Biology, Rhône-Poulenc Rorer Ltd, Dagenham Research Centre, Dagenham, Essex, England

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  2. Mark A. Giembycz

    1. Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Institute, London, England

    View editor publications

    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

Part of the book series: Respiratory Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy (RPP)

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-VII
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  2. Anatomy of Airways Smooth Muscle

    • Giorgio Gabella
    Pages 1-27

  3. Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System and Endogenous Catecholamines in the Regulation of Airways Smooth Muscle Tone

    • Philip W. Ind
    Pages 29-41

  4. Parasympathetic Innervation of Airways Smooth Muscle

    • Brendan J. Canning, Bradley J. Undem
    Pages 43-78

  5. Airways Ganglia

    • Richard D. Dey
    Pages 79-101

  6. Excitatory Nonadrenergic, Noncholinergic Innervation of Airways Smooth Muscle: Role of Peptides

    • Jan-Anders Karlsson
    Pages 103-142

  7. Inhibitory Nonadrenergic, Noncholinergic Innervation of Airways Smooth Muscle: Role of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide and Structurally Related Molecules

    • Rolf Uddman, Lars Olaf Cardell, Anders Luts, Frank Sundler
    Pages 143-156

  8. Inhibitory Nonadrenergic, Noncholinergic Innervation of Airways Smooth Muscle: Role of Nitric Oxide

    • Maria G. Belvisi, Tony R. Bai
    Pages 157-187

  9. Immunocytochemistry and Molecular Biology in the Identification of Peptide-Containing Nerves

    • David R. Springall, Julia M. Polak
    Pages 189-208

  10. Modulation of Neurotransmitter Release from Airways Nerves

    • Peter J. Barnes
    Pages 209-259

  11. Autoregulation of Cholinergic Neurotransmission in Airways Nerves

    • Nikki Watson
    Pages 261-278

  12. Vagal Reflexes

    • John G. Widdicombe, Ursula M. Wells
    Pages 279-307

  13. Neural Elements in Human Airways

    • Lauri A. Laitinen, Annika Laitinen
    Pages 309-324

  14. Back Matter

    Pages 325-328
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Keywords

About this book

Many factors may influence the release of neurotransmitters from airway nerves [1]. This is likely to be important in physiological control of airway functions and may be particularly relevant in airway diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Neural elements in airways interact in a complex manner and the activation of certain neural pathways may profoundly influence the release of transmitters from other neural pathways. Similarly inflamma­ tory mediators released from inflammatory cells in the airways may also modulate neurotransmitter release. There are marked differences be­ tween species in airway innervation and in neuromodulatory effects and, wherever possible, studies in human airways have been emphasised, although information on neuromodulation in human airways is some­ what limited at present. Release of neurotransmitters from nerve terminals occurs via a Ca2+­ dependent secretion evoked by a nerve action potential, but may also be evoked experimentally by a high extracellular K + concentration which directly depolarises the nerve terminal membrane. Modulation refers to the alteration of neurotransmitter release, which may either be increased (facilitation) or reduced (inhibition) by the action of a particular agent, thus changing the magnitude of the neurally-mediated response. Such agents would normally act on receptors on the nerve terminal which are referred to as pre-junctional (or presynaptic) receptors, in contrast to post-junctional (or post-synaptic) receptors located on the target cells which are influenced by that particular transmitter.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Discovery Biology, Rhône-Poulenc Rorer Ltd, Dagenham Research Centre, Dagenham, Essex, England

    David Raeburn

  • Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Institute, London, England

    Mark A. Giembycz

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