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Smooth Muscle Relaxation

Meaning

Smooth muscle relaxation is the fundamental physiological process involving the necessary decrease in active tension and the subsequent lengthening of involuntary, non-striated muscle fibers that form the walls of most hollow internal organs, including blood vessels, the entire gastrointestinal tract, and the urogenital system. This critical relaxation is essential for vital functions such as systemic vasodilation, which precisely regulates blood flow and pressure, and for facilitating the controlled, non-obstructed passage of substances through various internal conduits. In the context of hormonal health, this process is frequently modulated by the local release of nitric oxide and various systemic vasoactive peptides.