Differences in proliferation of primary cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells taken from male and female rats.

Vascular smooth muscle cells from thoracic aortas of 10-week-old rats were cultured on different substrates. Cells taken from male animals proliferated more quickly than those taken from females; this was true for all substrates, but the difference was accentuated by growth on collagen membranes. The relationship between these results and the sex-linked incidence of hypertension and atherosclerosis is discussed and a model for future studies proposed.