Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medical Specialties

2014

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Cardiovascular Diseases

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Cyclic Nucleotide-Dependent Phosphorylation Regulates Bk-Ca Channel Activity In Human Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells, Raeonda Williams May 2014

Cyclic Nucleotide-Dependent Phosphorylation Regulates Bk-Ca Channel Activity In Human Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells, Raeonda Williams

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) can induce dysfunction in organ systems by attenuating normal blood flow. Gonadal steroids are vasoactive hormones, but their role in contributing to cardiovascular function remains controversial. We have demonstrated that gonadal steroids can relax coronary arteries by opening the large-conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BKca) channel in smooth muscle cells by increasing cyclic nucleotide levels; however, the signaling pathways involved remain to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to identify how phosphorylation (via cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases) I dephosphorylation (via phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A, PP2A) regulates BKca channel activity in human coronary artery smooth muscle …