  On the basis of experimental data and mathematical equations in the
literature, we remodel the ionic dynamics of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) as an
eigensystem formulation, which is valid for investigating finite variations of
variables from the equilibrium like in common experimental operations. This
algorithm provides an alternate viewpoint from frequency-domain analysis and
enables one to probe functionalities of SMC's rhythm by means of a
resonance-related mechanism. Numerical results show three types of calcium
oscillations of SMCs in mesenteric arterioles: spontaneous calcium oscillation,
agonist-dependent calcium oscillation, and agonist-dependent calcium spike. For
simple single and double SMCs, we demonstrate properties of synchronization
among complex signals related to calcium oscillations, and show different
correlation relations between calcium and voltage signals for various
synchronization and resonance conditions. For practical cell clusters, our
analyses indicate that the rhythm of SMCs could (1) benefit enhancements of
signal communications among remote cells, (2) respond to a significant calcium
peaking against transient stimulations for triggering globally-oscillating
modes, and (3) characterize the globally-oscillating modes via frog-leap
(non-molecular-diffusion) calcium waves across inhomogeneous SMCs.
