Effects of shear stress on the growth kinetics of human aortic smooth muscle cells in vitro

This study demonstrates that aequorin, a luminescent natural dye, is useful for vascular cell intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) determination. A new single-photon counting technique was developed to resolve the effects of fluid flow shear stress on [Ca2+]i in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). Confluent HASMCs were grown on petri dishes loaded with aequorin. Then the dishes were placed in a luminometer chamber after the physiological level of shear stress was applied to the HASMC surfaces. The chamber was housed inside a highly sensitive photomultiplier tube. It detected ultraweak photon emission in response to the [Ca2+]i transient. In the presence of 2.0mM extracellular Ca2+, a shear stress of 12dyn∕cm2, applied for 60s to the top surface of the HASMC monolayer, elicited a sharp increase in [Ca2+]i.

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Density-dependent hyperpolarization in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells

AJP Cell Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpcell.1989.256.3.c644 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 256 (3) ◽

pp. C644-C651 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

M. G. Blennerhassett ◽

M. S. Kannan ◽

R. E. Garfield

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Continuous Process ◽

Primary Cultures ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle ◽

Wistar Kyoto

The membrane potential (Em) of cultured aortic smooth muscle cells from Sprague-Dawley (SD), Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats was measured in proliferating primary cultures. Em of SD cells in high-density cultures was -51 to -58 mV, whereas that of low-density cultures (1-2 days) was -30 mV. This difference was due to a continuous process of hyperpolarization during proliferation in culture. Em of WKY and SHR hyperpolarized similarly, from -12 to -42 and -38 mV, respectively. Hyperpolarization of Em of SD, WKY, and SHR cells was related to cell density rather than time in culture. Em may be a sensitive and significant indicator of the changes in the differentiated state expressed by proliferating smooth muscle in vitro.

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Calcium-Antagonistic Effect of Estradiol Compared with Nifedipine, Verapamil, and Diltiazem—In Vitro Investigations in Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells

Menopause The Journal of The North American Menopause Society ◽

10.1097/00042192-199502040-00075 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 262

Author(s):

A. O. Mueck ◽

H. Seeger ◽

H. Hanke ◽

T. H. Lippert

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Antagonistic Effect ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle

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Overloading human aortic smooth muscle cells with low density lipoprotein-cholesteryl esters reproduces features of atherosclerosis in vitro.

Journal of Clinical Investigation ◽

10.1172/jci108744 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 59 (6) ◽

pp. 1196-1202 ◽

Cited By ~ 91

Author(s):

J L Goldstein ◽

R G Anderson ◽

L M Buja ◽

S K Basu ◽

M S Brown

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Low Density Lipoprotein ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Low Density ◽

Cholesteryl Esters ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle

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Unusual lysosomes in aortic smooth muscle cells: presence in living and rapidly frozen cells.

The Journal of Cell Biology ◽

10.1083/jcb.102.5.1615 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 102 (5) ◽

pp. 1615-1622 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

J M Robinson ◽

T Okada ◽

J J Castellot ◽

M J Karnovsky

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Lucifer Yellow ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Rapid Freezing ◽

Tubular Structures ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle ◽

Ultrastructural Appearance

Unusual tubular structures have been observed in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) grown in culture. These tubular structures have several characteristics that strongly suggest that they are lysosomes: they are bounded by a single membrane bilayer, contain densely staining material, and acid phosphatase activity. Furthermore, these structures are present in living cells, as demonstrated by their ability to accumulate the membrane-impermeable fluorescent dye lucifer yellow CH. In ultrastructural preparations they are best seen in samples that are cryofixed by rapid freezing and then freeze-substituted in osmium-acetone solutions. Conventional chemical fixation did not appear to preserve these structures to as great an extent as did rapid freezing. Comparison of SMC in vitro to the same cells in situ revealed differences in lysosome number as well as morphological appearance. Thus, the culturing of rat SMC leads to the formation of unusual tubular lysosomes whose ultrastructural appearance is particularly sensitive to the methods employed for examination.

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