Airway smooth muscle in asthma: just a target for bronchodilation?

Judith L Black; Reynold A Panettieri Jr; Audreesh Banerjee; Patrick Berger

doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2012.05.002

Airway smooth muscle in asthma: just a target for bronchodilation?

Clin Chest Med. 2012 Sep;33(3):543-58. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2012.05.002. Epub 2012 Jul 11.

Authors

Judith L Black¹, Reynold A Panettieri Jr, Audreesh Banerjee, Patrick Berger

Affiliation

¹ University of Sydney, Discipline of Pharmacology and Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.

Abstract

Airway smooth muscle (ASM) has long been recognized as the main cell type responsible for bronchial hyperresponsiveness. It has, thus, been considered as a target for bronchodilation. In asthma, however, there is a complex relationship between ASM and inflammatory cells, such as mast cells and T lymphocytes. Moreover, the increased ASM mass in asthmatic airways is one of the key features of airway remodeling. This article aims to review the main concepts about the 3 possible roles of ASM in asthma: (1) contractile tone, (2) inflammatory response, and (3) remodeling.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Airway Remodeling
Asthma / physiopathology*
Humans
Inflammation
Muscle Contraction
Muscle, Smooth / physiology*
Respiratory Physiological Phenomena*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding