Elsevier

Experimental Cell Research

Volume 98, Issue 2, 15 March 1976, Pages 349-366
Experimental Cell Research

Characterization of two putative smooth muscle cell lines from rat thoracic aorta

https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4827(76)90446-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Two clonal cell lines have been derived from the thoracic aorta of embryonic rats. Both of these cell lines, at some stage of their development possess membranes capable of generating overshooting action potentials spontaneously. Contiguous cells of each of these lines are electrically coupled. Ultrastructural analysis consistently reveals the presence of rows of pinocytotic vesicles, a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, massive tracts of thin filaments oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cell and randomly dispersed intermediate sized filaments. The specific activities of the enzymes myokinase and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) increase 3- to 5-fold after growth has ceased. These two cell lines synthesize a muscle type CPK isoenzyme after the cessation of cell division. It is concluded that these cell lines proliferate as myoblasts and develop into cells which phenotypically resemble smooth muscle. A third clonal cell line, from fetal rat aorta, with properties of both smooth and skeletal muscle, is also described.

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    This work was supported by National Institutes of Neurological Diseases and Stroke grant number NS09658 to D. S., National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease Training Grant number AI00430 to M. C., and by postdoctoral fellowships from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to B. L. B. and from the ACS to B. W. K.

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