Hormonal requirements for growth of arterial smooth muscle cells in vitro: and endocrine approach to atherosclerosis.

In this study the hormonal requirements for the growth of arterial smooth muscle cells in vitro were determined. A serum-free, biochemically defined medium, supplemented with the relevant hormones, permitted proliferation and propagation of normal diploid mammalian arterial smooth muscle cells. Serum-free, hormone-supplemented cultures spontaneously formed atherosclerotic plaque-like nodules. Thus atherosclerosis may be mediated by a complex endocrine system.