Involvement of the Neurokinin-2 Receptor in Airway Smooth Muscle Stretch-Activated Contractions Assessed in Perfused Intact Bovine Bronchial Segments

The airway response to deep inspirations (DIs) in asthmatics has been shown to be ineffective in producing bronchodilation and can even cause bronchoconstriction. However, the manner by which a DI is able to cause bronchoconstriction remains ambiguous. We sought to investigate the pathway involved in this stretch-activated contraction and whether this contraction is intrinsic to airway smooth muscle (ASM). In brief, intact bovine bronchial …