Umbilical Artery Smooth Muscle Cells (UASMC)

Vascular smooth muscle refers to the particular type of smooth muscle found within, and composing the majority of the wall of blood vessels. Vascular smooth muscle contracts or relaxes to change both the volume of blood vessels and the local blood pressure, a mechanism that is responsible for the redistribution of the blood within the body to areas where it is needed. The main function of vascular smooth muscle tone is to regulate the caliber of the blood vessels in the body. It is shown that bupivacaine inhibits single-channel and whole-cell K(+) currents carried by BK(Ca) channels in smooth muscle cells isolated from human umbilical artery. Cultured human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells play an important role in the identification of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of arterial disease.