Role of Calcium Channels in Pharmacological Modulation of Gastrointestinal Motility

Synchronized circumferential contractions and propagating phasic contractile activity are important components of gastrointestinal motility involved in propulsion of food and food residues. These contractions are initiated and regulated by electrical activity (slow-wave-type action potentials or slow waves) of the smooth muscle cell membranes (1). Periodically electrical pacemaker potentials are generated by specialized pacemaker cells [a …