Vol 61, No 4 (2002)
Original article
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2002-08-29
A scanning electron microscopic study of phenotypic plasticity and surface structural changes of aortal smooth muscle cells in primary culture
Cecylia Tukaj, Jerzy Bohdanowicz, Jolanta Kubasik-Juraniec
Folia Morphol 2002;61(4):191-198.
Vol 61, No 4 (2002)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2002-08-29
Abstract
Phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from a contractile to
a synthetic state characterised by active proliferation appears to be an early event
in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. A similar transition occurs when SMCs are
established in culture. In this study the phenotypic plasticity and surface structural
changes of aortal smooth muscle cells during the transition from the contractile to
the synthetic state and during maturation have been structurally assessed by scanning
electron microscope (SEM). The experiments were performed on SMCs obtained
from aorta of neonatal rats after enzymatic digestion and then cultured on
glass cover slips. SEM observations revealed a three-dimensional appearance characteristic
for different stages of SMCs. Intensively proliferating cells from monolayer
region were large, polygonal in shape with lamellipodia and well spread. Long,
uniform in diameter, finger-like microvilli were densely arranged on the surface of
these cells. In the thickened region of culture, the cells were rather small, generally
spindle-shaped, not well spread, with low density of short, bubble-like microvilli
on the surface. Numerous plasma membrane structural alterations in apoptotic
cells were observed by SEM: loss of cellular adhesion, smoothing, shrinkage and
outpouching of membrane segments have been recognised as markers associated
with the cell injury and death. It was concluded that scanning microscopy
observations would allow a more complete understanding of SMCs and their changes
in culture and atherosclerotic disease.
Abstract
Phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from a contractile to
a synthetic state characterised by active proliferation appears to be an early event
in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. A similar transition occurs when SMCs are
established in culture. In this study the phenotypic plasticity and surface structural
changes of aortal smooth muscle cells during the transition from the contractile to
the synthetic state and during maturation have been structurally assessed by scanning
electron microscope (SEM). The experiments were performed on SMCs obtained
from aorta of neonatal rats after enzymatic digestion and then cultured on
glass cover slips. SEM observations revealed a three-dimensional appearance characteristic
for different stages of SMCs. Intensively proliferating cells from monolayer
region were large, polygonal in shape with lamellipodia and well spread. Long,
uniform in diameter, finger-like microvilli were densely arranged on the surface of
these cells. In the thickened region of culture, the cells were rather small, generally
spindle-shaped, not well spread, with low density of short, bubble-like microvilli
on the surface. Numerous plasma membrane structural alterations in apoptotic
cells were observed by SEM: loss of cellular adhesion, smoothing, shrinkage and
outpouching of membrane segments have been recognised as markers associated
with the cell injury and death. It was concluded that scanning microscopy
observations would allow a more complete understanding of SMCs and their changes
in culture and atherosclerotic disease.
Keywords
apoptosis; microvilli; phenotypic modulation; SEM
Title
A scanning electron microscopic study of phenotypic plasticity and surface structural changes of aortal smooth muscle cells in primary culture
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 61, No 4 (2002)
Article type
Original article
Pages
191-198
Published online
2002-08-29
Page views
520
Article views/downloads
1092
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2002;61(4):191-198.
Keywords
apoptosis
microvilli
phenotypic modulation
SEM
Authors
Cecylia Tukaj
Jerzy Bohdanowicz
Jolanta Kubasik-Juraniec