Schuster, Beny, Meister, 2003

Model Status

This is the original unchecked version of the model imported from the previous CellML model repository, 24-Jan-2006.

Model Structure

Through their synthesis of vasoactive substances, such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin, the endothelial cells which line the blood vessels play an important role in the the local control of the vascular tone. Synthesis of the vasoactive agents is often induced by membrane hyperpolarisation, and the activation of the endothelial cells leads to an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), due to Ca2+ release from the intracellular stores, and Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space.

The peptide bradykinin is an endothelium-dependent vasodilator for most arteries. It stimulates the endothelial cells to secrete nitric oxide and endothelium-derived hyperpolarising factor, which act as relaxing agents. In coronary artery endothelial cells bradykinin produces a transient hyperpolarisation, which is also associated with an increase in [Ca2+]i. The binding of bradykinin to its cell surface receptor triggers a signal transduction cascade involving phospholipase C (PLC) and the production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), which in turn stimulates the release of Ca2+ from the intracellular stores (the sarcoplasmic reticulum, or SR).

In the Schuster et al. 2003 publication described here, the authors present a biophysical model of the membrane potential response of pig coronary artery endothelial cells in primary culture upon bradykinin stimulation (see the figure below). Model simulations demonstrate the model's ability to reproduce experimental results for both Ca2+ and membrane potential (Vm) dynamics.

The complete original paper reference is cited below:

Modelling the electrophysiological endothelial cell response to bradykinin, Alexander Schuster, Jean-Louis Beny, and Jean-Jacques Meister, 2003, European Biophysics Journal , 32, 370-380. (Full text (HTML) and PDF versions of the article are available to subscribers on the European Biophysics Journal website.) PubMed ID: 12851795

Schematic diagram of the model, describing the electrophysiological endothelial cell response to bradykinin.