Contraction of smooth muscle of pig airway tissues from before birth to maturity

Two heavy chains of smooth muscle myosin (MHC1 and MHC2) were identified in pig airways and parenchyma. The ratio of MHC1 to MHC2 was the same along the bronchial tree in animals of the same age, but it changed with age (mature, young, suckling, and fetus), ranging from 0.8 in the mature to 2.2 in the fetus. Stress developed in airway (trachea, bronchus, and bronchiole) and parenchymal preparations in response to carbachol and histamine (mN/mm2) was normalized for myosin content (N/mm2 myosin). Airways from sucklings always developed the greatest stress to carbachol and histamine with the rank order of maximum force (Emax) suckling greater than fetus greater than young greater than mature for carbachol in large airways. Airway ranking to histamine was similar except that Emax of fetal bronchus and bronchiole were least. In parenchymal strips, mature animals gave strong responses to carbachol and histamine compared with other age groups. Sensitivity to carbachol was increased in the suckling trachea; otherwise it did not vary with age. Chemically skinned tracheal fibers exhibited three- to fourfold greater sensitivity to Ca2+ in fetal and suckling airways compared with the older animals. It is concluded that maturation of smooth muscle occurs in the expression of myosin, in the Ca2(+)-force relationships of the contractile machinery, and in the pharmacological responsiveness of the intact smooth muscle, with the latter greatest at or soon after birth.