Rectal Smooth Muscle Cells (RSMC)

Smooth muscle contraction is the fundamental event in gastrointestinal motion. Inflammation of the human intestine causes increased levels of smooth muscle-specific actin, which in turn promotes the thickening of the smooth muscle layers. The increased smooth muscle actin may affect force production and further demonstrates the plasticity of smooth muscle cells in the inflamed intestine. Studies also show that human intestinal smooth muscle cells respond to IL-1beta and TNF-alpha stimulation by releasing IL-6, which may significantly contribute to the overall systemic inflammatory response . A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control colorectal smooth muscle tone is essential for the treatment of colorectal disorders. The availability of human rectal smooth muscle cells makes it more feasible to study the contractile and proliferative tissue responses of smooth muscle in human colorectal disorders.