Biomaterial Database

Platelets, endothelium, and smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis. 1978

R Ross, and L Harker

A factor derived from platelets stimulates the proliferation of smooth muscle cells in culture, and is likely important in stimulating smooth muscle proliferative lesions of atherogenesis in vivo. The platelet factor is produced during platelet aggregation when serum is made from whole blood. In vitro, smooth muscle cells are potent aggregating agents for platelets, while endothelial cells can inhibit this aggregating effect. Better understanding of the interactions of platelets, smooth muscle cells, and endothelium would facilitate developing effective means of intervening in or preventing the smooth muscle proliferative lesions of atherosclerosis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009130	Muscle, Smooth	Unstriated and unstriped muscle, one of the muscles of the internal organs, blood vessels, hair follicles, etc. Contractile elements are elongated, usually spindle-shaped cells with centrally located nuclei. Smooth muscle fibers are bound together into sheets or bundles by reticular fibers and frequently elastic nets are also abundant. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Muscle, Involuntary,Smooth Muscle,Involuntary Muscle,Involuntary Muscles,Muscles, Involuntary,Muscles, Smooth,Smooth Muscles
D001792	Blood Platelets	Non-nucleated disk-shaped cells formed in the megakaryocyte and found in the blood of all mammals. They are mainly involved in blood coagulation.	Platelets,Thrombocytes,Blood Platelet,Platelet,Platelet, Blood,Platelets, Blood,Thrombocyte
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D004727	Endothelium	A layer of epithelium that lines the heart, blood vessels (ENDOTHELIUM, VASCULAR), lymph vessels (ENDOTHELIUM, LYMPHATIC), and the serous cavities of the body.	Endotheliums
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001158	Arteries	The vessels carrying blood away from the heart.	Artery
D001161	Arteriosclerosis	Thickening and loss of elasticity of the walls of ARTERIES of all sizes. There are many forms classified by the types of lesions and arteries involved, such as ATHEROSCLEROSIS with fatty lesions in the ARTERIAL INTIMA of medium and large muscular arteries.	Arterioscleroses