Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) perform diverse functions and this functional heterogeneity could be based on differential recruitment of distinct @entity9976 subsets. In @entity1 , however, there is little support for such a paradigm, partly because isolation of pure @entity1 @entity9976 subsets has proven difficult. We report the cloning of 12 @entity9976 lines from a single fragment of @entity1 internal thoracic artery and the elucidation of 2 distinct cellular profiles. Epithelioid clones (n=9) were polygonal at confluence, 105+/-9 micrometer in length, and had a doubling time of 39+/-2 hours. Spindle-shaped clones (n=3) were larger (267+/-18 micrometer long, P<0.01) and grew slower (doubling time 65+/-4 hours, P<0.01). Both types of clones expressed smooth muscle (SM) alpha-actin, SM-myosin heavy chains, h-caldesmon, and calponin, but only spindle-shaped clones expressed @entity10274 . Epithelioid clones displayed greater proliferation in response to platelet-derived growth factor-BB and @entity540 and were more responsive to the migratory effect of platelet-derived growth factor-BB. Spindle-shaped clones showed more robust @entity141 transients in response to @entity2178 , @entity112 , and @entity1063 , crawled more quickly, and expressed more type I collagen. On serum withdrawal, spindle-shaped clones differentiated into a contraction-competent cell. A regional basis for diversity among SMCs was suggested by stepwise arterial digestion, which liberated small, SM alpha-actin-positive cells from the abluminal medial layers and larger SMCs from all layers. These results identify inherent @entity9976 diversity in the media of the adult internal thoracic artery and suggest differential participation of @entity9976 subsets in the regulation of @entity1 arterial behavior.

Innate diversity of adult XXXX arterial smooth muscle cells: cloning of distinct subtypes from the internal thoracic artery.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['humans', 'human'] @entity9976 :: ('MESH:C564589', 'Disease') :: ['SMC'] @entity10274 :: ('7414', 'Gene') :: ['metavinculin'] @entity2178 :: ('183', 'Gene') :: ['angiotensin II'] @entity540 :: ('2247', 'Gene') :: ['fibroblast growth factor-2'] @entity112 :: ('MESH:D006632', 'Chemical') :: ['histamine'] @entity141 :: ('CHEBI:29108', 'Chemical') :: ['Ca(2+)'] @entity1063 :: ('MESH:D009638', 'Chemical') :: ['norepinephrine']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
