EFS-induced airway contractions are neurally mediated.

Magnesium competes with calcium at the terminal synapse and prevents the release of neurotransmitters resulting in a neuromuscular block [27], [28]. The muscarinic receptor agonist methacholine was used to confirm that Mg2+ did not affect airway smooth muscle directly. Con., contraction in marmoset PCLS, i.e. deviation below baseline airway area before EFS; EFS; electric field stimulation; IAA, initial airway area; Mg2+, magnesium; Rel., relaxation in marmoset, i.e. deviation above baseline airway area before EFS; w/o, without; data are shown as mean±SEM (species/number of PCLS/number of subjects: rat/5/5, guinea pig/4/4, sheep/4/4, marmoset/6/5, human/6 EFS, 5 methacholine/6 EFS, 5 methacholine); *, p††, p§§, p