Different interacting signaling modules involving Ca 2+/calmodulin-dependent myosin light
chain kinase, Ca 2+-independent regulatory light chain phosphorylation, myosin
phosphatase inhibition, and actin filament-based proteins are proposed as specific cellular
mechanisms involved in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction. However, the relative
importance of specific modules is not well defined. By using tamoxifen-activated and smooth
muscle-specific knock-out of myosin light chain kinase in mice, we analyzed its role in tonic …