Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells
Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells - Related Videos
08:43
Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
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Cited by 28 •
2016
Vascular calcification is an important predictor of and contributor to human cardiovascular disease. This protocol describes methods for inducing calcification of cultured primary vascular smooth muscle cells and for quantifying calcification and macrophage burden in animal aortas using near-infrared fluorescence imaging.
06:14
Murine Aortic Crush Injury: An Efficient In Vivo Model of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Endothelial Function
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Cited by 2 •
2017
Restenosis following cardiovascular procedures (bypass surgery, angioplasty, or stenting) is a significant problem reducing the durability of these procedures. An ideal therapy would inhibit smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation while promoting regeneration of the endothelium. We describe a model for simultaneous assessment of VSMC proliferation and endothelial function in vivo.
08:24
Isolation of Murine Coronary Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
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Cited by 11 •
2016
The purpose of this protocol is to demonstrate the isolation and culture techniques of murine primary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from the coronary circulation. Once VSMCs have been isolated, they can be used for many standard culture techniques.
03:10
Von Kossa Staining of Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: An In Vitro Technique for Assessment of Arterial Medial Layer Calcification
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2025
This video demonstrates a staining technique for assessing arterial medial calcification of the vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro. The von Kossa method employs a photochemical reaction to deposit metallic silver at the sites of calcification and impart a black coloration.
08:08
Two-photon Imaging of Intracellular Ca2+ Handling and Nitric Oxide Production in Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells of an Isolated Rat Aorta
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Cited by 5 •
2015
Vascular cell functiondepends on activity of intracellular messengers. Described here is an ex vivo two photon imaging method that allows the measurement of intracellular calcium and nitric oxide levels in response to physiological and pharmacological stimuli in individual endothelial and smooth muscle cells of an isolated aorta.
FAQs
Calcium provides the functional link between an external cue and force production. Chemical or mechanical signals activate calcium-dependent processes that enable actin and myosin to interact, producing cellular contraction. In vascular models, this response helps researchers examine whether an engineered environment can support regulated smooth muscle behavior rather than merely maintain cell survival.
Phenotypic change can shift the cells away from their contractile behavior toward responses associated with vascular remodeling. Injury and culture conditions therefore influence how closely a model represents the arterial wall. Accounting for this shift is important when interpreting experiments involving engineered tissues, biomaterials, or disease-related cellular behavior.
These inputs can alter both contraction-related activity and broader vascular responses. Mechanical signals connect the cells to the physical environment, while growth factors and inflammatory cues can promote behavior relevant to remodeling or injury. Testing these conditions helps distinguish a material or tissue design that supports vascular function from one that provokes unwanted cellular changes.
They are incorporated into bioengineered vessel systems and vascular tissue models to reproduce important features of the arterial wall. Their contractile responses and phenotype changes provide functional evidence about how well a construct mimics vascular structure and behavior. This makes them useful for evaluating tissue designs beyond simple structural appearance.
Cell responses provide biological measures of whether a biomaterial supports an appropriate vascular environment. Changes in contraction, phenotype, or responses to relevant cues can indicate compatibility and remodeling behavior. In bioengineering studies, these observations help researchers refine materials and construct designs intended to interact with smooth muscle tissue.
Their responses to inflammatory cues, growth factors, and drug treatments model cellular behaviors associated with vascular injury and disease. Researchers can use these responses to compare how cells react under different experimental conditions and to assess whether a treatment changes vascular smooth muscle behavior. This adds disease-related context to engineered tissue experiments.