Resident phenotypically modulated vascular smooth muscle cells in healthy human arteries |
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Authors: | Maksym I Harhun Christopher L Huggins Kumaran Ratnasingham Durgesh Raje Ray F Moss Kinga Szewczyk Georgios Vasilikostas Iain A Greenwood Teck K Khong Andrew Wan Marcus Reddy |
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Institution: | 1. Pharmacology and Cell Physiology Research Group, Division of Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, , London, United Kingdom;2. Department of Surgery, St. George's Hospital, , London, United Kingdom;3. Imaging Resource Facility, Division of Biomedical Sciences, St. George's, University of London, , London, United Kingdom |
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Abstract: | Vascular interstitial cells (VICs) are non‐contractile cells with filopodia previously described in healthy blood vessels of rodents and their function remains unknown. The objective of this study was to identify VICs in human arteries and to ascertain their role. VICs were identified in the wall of human gastro‐omental arteries using transmission electron microscopy. Isolated VICs showed ability to form new and elongate existing filopodia and actively change body shape. Most importantly sprouting VICs were also observed in cell dispersal. RT‐PCR performed on separately collected contractile vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and VICs showed that both cell types expressed the gene for smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SM‐MHC). Immunofluorescent labelling showed that both VSMCs and VICs had similar fluorescence for SM‐MHC and αSM‐actin, VICs, however, had significantly lower fluorescence for smoothelin, myosin light chain kinase, h‐calponin and SM22α. It was also found that VICs do not have cytoskeleton as rigid as in contractile VSMCs. VICs express number of VSMC‐specific proteins and display features of phenotypically modulated VSMCs with increased migratory abilities. VICs, therefore represent resident phenotypically modulated VSMCs that are present in human arteries under normal physiological conditions. |
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Keywords: | vascular interstitial cell vascular smooth muscle cell human phenotypically modulated vascular smooth muscle cells gastro‐omental arteries filopodia budding |
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