Arteriolar vascular smooth muscle cells:mechanotransducers in a complex environment

Contraction of small artery(diameters typically less than 250μm)vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)plays a critical role in local control of blood flow and arterial pressure through its affect on vascular caliber.Specifically,contraction of small arteries in response to increased

Contraction of small artery （diameters typically less than 250 p,m） vascular smooth muscle cells （VSMCs） plays a critical role in local control of blood flow and arterial pressure through its affect on vascular caliber. Specifically, contraction of small arteries in response to increased intraluminal pressure is referred to as themyogenic response and represents an important role for mechanotransduction. Critical questions remain as to how changes in pressure are sensed by of the cell.