Evaluation of long-term cultured endothelial cells as a model system for studying vascular ageing.

Long-term cultures of human umbilical endothelial cells were examined for changes in cell growth, cell density, cell volume, occurrence of multinucleated cells, prostacyclin production and negative charge of the cell surface during in vitro cellular ageing. The changes observed were consistent with the previously described changes in vascular endothelial cells during in vivo ageing. Therefore, we conclude that cumulative cell division is deeply involved in in vivo ageing of endothelial cells and that this in vitro system is suitable for investigating in vivo ageing of vascular endothelial cells.