Hypoxic vasorelaxation: Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent mechanisms

The mechanisms of oxygen sensing in vascular smooth muscle have been studied extensively in a variety of tissue types and the results of these studies indicate that the mechanism of hypoxia-induced vasodilation probably involves several mechanisms that combined to assure the appropriate response. After a short discussion of the regulatory mechanisms for smooth muscle contractility, we present the evidence indicating that hypoxic vasorelaxation involves both Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent mechanisms. More recent experiments using proteomic approaches in organ cultures of porcine coronary artery reveal important changes evoked by hypoxia in both Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent pathways.