Epigenetic control of smooth muscle cell differentiation and phenotypic switching in vascular development and disease
MR Alexander, GK Owens - Annual review of physiology, 2012 - annualreviews.org
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
undergo profound changes in phenotype during repair of vascular injury, during remodeling
in response to altered blood flow, or in various disease states. There has been extensive
progress in recent years in our understanding of the complex mechanisms that control SMC
differentiation and phenotypic plasticity, including the demonstration that epigenetic …
principal function is contraction. However, this cell displays remarkable plasticity and can
undergo profound changes in phenotype during repair of vascular injury, during remodeling
in response to altered blood flow, or in various disease states. There has been extensive
progress in recent years in our understanding of the complex mechanisms that control SMC
differentiation and phenotypic plasticity, including the demonstration that epigenetic …
