Health Sciences Department, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
J Physiol. 2012 Sep 1;590(17):4145-54. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.232306. Epub 2012 Jun 11.
This review focuses on the vascular smooth muscle cells present in the medial layer of the blood vessels wall in the fully differentiated state (dVSMCs). The dVSMC contractile phenotype enables these cells to respond in a highly regulated manner to changes in extracellular stimuli. Through modulation of vascular contractile force and vascular compliance dVSMCs regulate blood pressure and blood flow. The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which vascular smooth muscle contractile functions are regulated are not completely elucidated. Recent studies have documented a critical role for actin polymerization and cytoskeletal dynamics in the regulation of contractile function. Here we will review the current understanding of actin cytoskeletal dynamics and focal adhesion function in dVSMCs in order to better understand actin cytoskeleton connections to the extracellular matrix and the effects of cytoskeletal remodelling on vascular contractility and vascular stiffness in health and disease.
这篇综述聚焦于已完全分化的血管壁中层中的血管平滑肌细胞（dVSMCs）。dVSMC 的收缩表型使这些细胞能够高度调节地响应细胞外刺激的变化。通过调节血管收缩力和血管顺应性，dVSMCs 调节血压和血流量。血管平滑肌收缩功能调节的细胞和分子机制尚未完全阐明。最近的研究记录了肌动蛋白聚合和细胞骨架动力学在调节收缩功能中的关键作用。在这里，我们将回顾 dVSMCs 中肌动蛋白细胞骨架动力学和黏着斑功能的最新理解，以便更好地了解细胞骨架与细胞外基质的连接以及细胞骨架重塑对血管收缩性和血管僵硬的影响在健康和疾病中。
