Abstract
THE use of multicellular strips to study contractile properties of smooth muscle cells rests on the assumption that properties of individual cells are directly reflected in the behaviour of whole tissues. Both the heterogeneity of the contractile state of the cell population in the intact strip, and the complex interconnections between cells and extracellular fibrous elements, however, must influence measured mechanical properties. Methods for isolating viable single smooth muscle fibres from the stomach of the toad, Bufo marinus1,2 now make it possible to make direct measurements of force generation in single cells. I report here a technique for isometrically measuring the force of contraction of a single isolated smooth muscle cell. The method was used to investigate the kinetics and magnitude of force development in a single smooth muscle cell. The results reveal that the maximum force per cm2 of a single cell is comparable with that of whole tissue. The onset of active force development after stimulation is exceptionally slow. Analysis of this delay suggests that it resides in step(s), perhaps unique to smooth muscle, whereby Ca2+ activates the contractile machinery.
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