The role of extracellular Ca2+ in carbachol-induced tonic contraction of the pig detrusor smooth muscle.

The role of extracellular Ca2+ in the tonic-contractile response to muscarinic receptor stimulation was investigated in isolated detrusor smooth muscle from the pig urinary bladder. Carbachol (10(-8)-10(-5) M) produced a concentration-dependent contractile response in isolated pig detrusor smooth muscle strips consisting of an initial phasic component followed by a tonic component. During the plateau of the tonic contractions induced by carbachol at the submaximal concentration of 10(-6) M, the inhibiting effects of atropine, EGTA, nifedipine (a voltage-dependent calcium channel antagonist), H-7 [a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor] and YM934 (a potassium channel opener) on the contractions were evaluated. Atropine (10(-10)-3 x 10(-8) M) concentration-dependently inhibited the tonic contractions induced by carbachol. In the same experimental conditions, EGTA (4 mM) and nifedipine (10(-9)-3 x 10(-7) M) depressed the tonic contractions in a concentration-dependent manner as did H-7 (10(-5)-3 x 10(-5) M) and YM934 (10(-8)-10(-6) M). However, H-7 (10(-5)-3 x 10(-5) M) and YM934 (10(-6) M) were very weak in inhibiting the contractions induced by KCl (50 mM) in isolated pig detrusor smooth muscle strips. These results suggest that the tonic-contractile response induced by carbachol in pig detrusor smooth muscle strips is dependent mainly on depolarization of the cell membranes and an influx of extracellular Ca2+, and also suggest that this depolarizing response may be due to inactivation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels through muscarinic activation of PKC.