Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA.
Compr Physiol. 2012 Jan;2(1):255-81. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c110018.
Airway smooth muscle has classically been of interest for its contractile response linked to bronchoconstriction. However, terminally differentiated smooth muscle cells are phenotypically plastic and have multifunctional capacity for proliferation, cellular hypertrophy, migration, and the synthesis of extracellular matrix and inflammatory mediators. These latter properties of airway smooth muscle are important in airway remodeling which is a structural alteration that compounds the impact of contractile responses on limiting airway conductance. In this overview, we describe the important signaling components and the functional evidence supporting a view of smooth muscle cells at the core of fibroproliferative remodeling of hollow organs. Signal transduction components and events are summarized that control the basic cellular processes of proliferation, cell survival, apoptosis, and cellular migration. We delineate known intracellular control mechanisms and suggest future areas of interest to pursue to more fully understand factors that regulate normal myocyte function and airway remodeling in obstructive lung diseases.
气道平滑肌一直以来因其与支气管收缩相关的收缩反应而受到关注。然而，终末分化的平滑肌细胞具有表型可塑性和多功能增殖能力、细胞肥大、迁移以及细胞外基质和炎症介质的合成。这些气道平滑肌的后一种特性在气道重塑中很重要，气道重塑是一种结构改变，会加剧收缩反应对限制气道传导性的影响。在这篇综述中，我们描述了重要的信号成分和功能证据，这些证据支持将平滑肌细胞视为中空器官纤维增殖性重塑的核心。我们总结了控制增殖、细胞存活、细胞凋亡和细胞迁移等基本细胞过程的信号转导成分和事件。我们描述了已知的细胞内控制机制，并提出了未来感兴趣的研究领域，以更全面地了解调节正常肌细胞功能和阻塞性肺疾病中气道重塑的因素。
