Arterial occlusive disease is the leading cause of death in Western countries. Core
contemporary therapies for this disease include angioplasties, stents, endarterectomies and …

The vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) in adult animals is a highly specialized cell whose
principal function is contraction. However, this cell displays remarkable plasticity and can …

The molecular regulation of smooth muscle cell (SMC) behavior is reviewed, with particular
emphasis on stimuli that promote the contractile phenotype. SMCs can shift reversibly along …

Background—Epigenetic alterations may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.
In particular, DNA methylation, a reversible and highly regulated DNA modification, could …

Background & Aims: Following hepatic injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) transdifferentiate
to become extracellular matrix-producing myofibroblasts and to promote hepatic …

Extensive studies over the last 30 years have demonstrated that vascular smooth muscle
cell (SMC) differentiation and phenotypic modulation is controlled by a dynamic array of …

Platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) has been shown to be an extremely potent
negative regulator of smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation. Moreover, previous studies …

Precise control of SMC transcription plays a major role in vascular development and
pathophysiology. Serum response factor (SRF) controls SMC gene transcription via binding …

Although the primary role of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is contraction, they exhibit
extensive phenotypic diversity and plasticity during normal development, during repair of …

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation is an essential component of vascular
development and these cells perform biosynthetic, proliferative, and contractile roles in the …