Biomaterial Database

Changes in the composition of cytoskeletal and cytocontractile proteins of rat aortic smooth muscle cells during aging. 1990

S T Nikkari, and J Koistinaho, and O Jaakkola

Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.

Cytoskeletal proteins are used as differentiation markers of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC). To study possible changes in SMC phenotype during aging, cytoskeletal and cytocontractile proteins were quantified in the aortic intima-medias of 4-, 12-, 30-, and 36-month-old rats by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The percentages of myosin and desmin in total protein decreased with age, while those of actin and vimentin remained unchanged. Immunohistochemical comparison of the aortas from 4- and 30-month-old rats showed that the reduction of desmin reflected a selective disappearance of desmin in some cells. There was an age-related increase in the proportion of beta-actin at the expense of the alpha-isoform. Our results suggest an age-dependent modulation of the phenotype of vascular SMC towards the synthetic state, which is opposite to that observed during developmental differentiation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008856	Microscopy, Fluorescence	Microscopy of specimens stained with fluorescent dye (usually fluorescein isothiocyanate) or of naturally fluorescent materials, which emit light when exposed to ultraviolet or blue light. Immunofluorescence microscopy utilizes antibodies that are labeled with fluorescent dye.	Fluorescence Microscopy,Immunofluorescence Microscopy,Microscopy, Immunofluorescence,Fluorescence Microscopies,Immunofluorescence Microscopies,Microscopies, Fluorescence,Microscopies, Immunofluorescence
D009124	Muscle Proteins	The protein constituents of muscle, the major ones being ACTINS and MYOSINS. More than a dozen accessory proteins exist including TROPONIN; TROPOMYOSIN; and DYSTROPHIN.	Muscle Protein,Protein, Muscle,Proteins, Muscle
D009131	Muscle, Smooth, Vascular	The nonstriated involuntary muscle tissue of blood vessels.	Vascular Smooth Muscle,Muscle, Vascular Smooth,Muscles, Vascular Smooth,Smooth Muscle, Vascular,Smooth Muscles, Vascular,Vascular Smooth Muscles
D010641	Phenotype	The outward appearance of the individual. It is the product of interactions between genes, and between the GENOTYPE and the environment.	Phenotypes
D011919	Rats, Inbred Strains	Genetically identical individuals developed from brother and sister matings which have been carried out for twenty or more generations or by parent x offspring matings carried out with certain restrictions. This also includes animals with a long history of closed colony breeding.	August Rats,Inbred Rat Strains,Inbred Strain of Rat,Inbred Strain of Rats,Inbred Strains of Rats,Rat, Inbred Strain,August Rat,Inbred Rat Strain,Inbred Strain Rat,Inbred Strain Rats,Inbred Strains Rat,Inbred Strains Rats,Rat Inbred Strain,Rat Inbred Strains,Rat Strain, Inbred,Rat Strains, Inbred,Rat, August,Rat, Inbred Strains,Rats Inbred Strain,Rats Inbred Strains,Rats, August,Rats, Inbred Strain,Strain Rat, Inbred,Strain Rats, Inbred,Strain, Inbred Rat,Strains, Inbred Rat
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D003598	Cytoskeletal Proteins	Major constituent of the cytoskeleton found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. They form a flexible framework for the cell, provide attachment points for organelles and formed bodies, and make communication between parts of the cell possible.	Proteins, Cytoskeletal
D003720	Densitometry	The measurement of the density of a material by measuring the amount of light or radiation passing through (or absorbed by) the material.	Densitometries
D004591	Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel	Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGE,Gel Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide,SDS PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGEs