Fluid Shear Stress-Induced Alignment of Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

2001 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann A. Lee ◽  
Dionne A. Graham ◽  
Sheila Dela Cruz ◽  
Anthony Ratcliffe ◽  
William J. Karlon
Keyword(s):  
Shear Stress ◽  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Fluid Shear Stress ◽  
Vascular Tissue ◽  
Continuous Process ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Clear Understanding

The study objectives were to quantify the time- and magnitude-dependence of flow-induced alignment in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) and to identify pathways related to the orientation process. Using an intensity gradient method, we demonstrated that SMC aligned in the direction perpendicular to applied shear stress, which contrasts with parallel alignment of endothelial cells under flow. SMC alignment varied with the magnitude of and exposure time to shear stress and is a continuous process that is dependent on calcium and cycloskeleton based mechanisms. A clear understanding and control of flow-induced SMC alignment will have implications for vascular tissue engineering.

Spatial dynamics of intracellular calcium in agonist-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells

1990 ◽  
Vol 259 (4) ◽  
pp. C675-C686 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. B. Neylon ◽  
J. Hoyland ◽  
W. T. Mason ◽  
R. F. Irvine
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Vascular Tissue ◽  
Spatial Dynamics ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Smooth Muscle Contraction ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Internal Mammary

Vasoconstrictor agonists stimulate smooth muscle contraction by inducing a rise in intracellular free Ca2+. Digital-imaging microscopy of fura-2 fluorescence from single vascular smooth muscle cells cultured from the human internal mammary artery has allowed us to record the subcellular alterations in Ca2+ that occur immediately after stimulation by receptor agonists. The thrombin-induced rise in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ begins in a discrete region typically located close to the end of the cell. Subsequently, this region of elevated Ca2+ expands until Ca2+ is elevated throughout the cell cytoplasm. The rate of spreading in the region of elevated Ca2+ in a linear direction averaged 10.1 microns/s, enabling it to traverse the length of most cells within approximately 5 s, and involved rises in Ca2+ of between 200 and 500 nM. In some cells, the Ca2+ rise began at both ends and collided midway. Similar dynamic changes in the spatial distribution of Ca2+ were recorded in cells stimulated by acetylcholine. The novel observation that vasoconstrictor agonists induce an elevation of Ca2+ in a localized region which subsequently expands throughout the cytoplasm of single smooth muscle cells may provide new insight into the nature of Ca2+ signaling in vascular tissue.

Shear Stress-Induced Release of PGE2and PGI2by Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

1996 ◽  
Vol 224 (3) ◽  
pp. 808-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sami N. Alshihabi ◽  
Yong S. Chang ◽  
John A. Frangos ◽  
John M. Tarbell
Keyword(s):  
Shear Stress ◽  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Muscle Cells
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document