AORTIC SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS PRODUCED ELASTIC FIBERS IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL CULTURE / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To Study if aortic smooth muscle cells(ASMC) can produce elastic fibers in three-dimensional culture imitating the dermis substitute. Methods Primary culture of ASMCs were obtained by explanting of thoracic aortae from one-week old SD rats. ?-actin immunocytochemistry was used to approve the smooth muscle cells. After subculture, ASMCs were mixed with gels composed of collagen, chitin and glucosaminoglycans, then, three-dimensional culture was carried out. After 1 week and 2 weeks, Gomori aldehyde fuchsin staining and elastin immunocytochemistry were applied to detect the elastic fibers in the ASMC-collagen gels. Results More than 98% of the cultured cells were approved as smooth muscle cells by ?-actin immunocytochemistry. After both 1 and 2 weeks of three-dimentional culture, elastic fibers were detected in the ASMC-collagen gels by both stainings.Conclusion ASMCs can synthesize elastin and produce elastic fiber in three-dimentional culture imitating the dermis substitute.