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What is latch? New ideas about tonic contraction in smooth muscle

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Abstract

Smooth muscles have traditionally been classified as phasic or tonic, the tonic muscles being those which maintain a steady tension indefinitely with a low consumption of energy. Until ten years ago it was considered that the differences between smooth muscle types reflected different innervation or excitation-contraction coupling. However, recent work makes it clear that the contractile apparatus itself is adapted in tonic muscles.

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  1. National Heart and Lung Institute, Dovehouse Street, SW3 6LY, London

    S. B. Marston (senior lecturer)

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  1. S. B. Marston
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Marston, S.B. What is latch? New ideas about tonic contraction in smooth muscle. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 10, 97–100 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01739965

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