Vascular smooth muscle cells : isolation, culture, and characterization.

In blood vessel development (vasculogenesis) smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are derived by differentiation of mesenchymal cells under the influence of mediators secreted by the endothelial cells (ECs) composing newly formed vessels. In angiogenesis, SMCs can be formed in the same way or by proliferation of existing SMCs (1). Key events in the development of atherosclerotic lesions and restenosis of arteries are now recognized to include vascular SMC migration, hyperplasia, and hypertrophy (2). This has led to an increase in studies of SMC function in response to growth factors, extracellular matrix, and lipoproteins, under controlled in vitro conditions, to address the cellular mechanisms in atherogenesis. Most of the methodology used for vascular smooth muscle culture has been developed for such studies (3).