Esophageal Smooth Muscle Cells (ESMC)

The esophagus is a hollow tubular organ whose wall comprises a mucosa or epithelium, submucosa, muscle and adventitia.Smooth muscle is responsible for the contractility of hollow organs, such as blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract, the bladder, and the uterus. 

Studies conclude that human smooth muscle cells in primary culture express five muscarinic receptor subtypes and respond to ACh with a rise in [Ca(2+)]mediated primarily by the M(3) receptor and involving release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores. This culture model provides a useful tool for further study of esophageal physiology.