Proliferation and LDL binding of cultured intimal smooth muscle cells from rabbits.

Cultured intimal smooth muscle cells (SMC) were prepared from rabbits in which a cannula had been inserted into the abdominal aorta 4 weeks previously. The patterns of growth proliferative rates, and lipoprotein metabolism of cultures of intimal and medial SMC from intact aortic media were compared. Intimal SMC proliferated more rapidly than medial SMC. Both low density lipoprotein (LDL) and acetylated LDL bound to intimal SMC, whereas only LDL bound to medial SMC. These findings suggest a phenotypic difference between intimal and medial SMC.