Fig. 8. Model illustrating the crosstalk between PKCα and RhoA/ROCK. (A) PDBu-induced contraction could be mediated by PKCα activation and MLCP inhibition (pathway 1). Pathway 2 indicates the inhibitory effect of PKCα on RhoA/ROCK. (B) In depolarized arteries, both RhoA/ROCK (pathway 3) and PKCα (pathway 1), are activated leading to MLCP inhibition and contraction. RhoA/ROCK function, that is important in depolarization-induced contraction, is negatively regulated by PKCα (pathway 2). Activation of ROCK exerts a negative feedback on RhoA activity through pathways 4 and 2.