Sm. Sanz-gonzalez et al., Control of vascular smooth muscle cell growth by cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitory proteins and its implication in cardiovascular disease, FRONT BIOSC, 5, 2000, pp. D619-D628
While quiescence is a defining characteristic of differentiated vascular sm
ooth muscle cells (VSMCs) residing within the medial layer of elastic arter
ies in the adult organism, mature VSMCs can undergo phenotypic modulation a
nd reenter the cell cycle in response to several physiological and patholog
ical stimuli. Abnormal VSMC proliferation is thought to contribute to the p
athogenesis of vascular occlusive lesions, including atherosclerosis, vesse
l renarrowing after successful angioplasty (restenosis), and graft atherosc
lerosis after coronary transplantation. Therefore, elucidating the molecula
r mechanisms limiting VSMC growth is currently the subject of active resear
ch. This review will focus on the role of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor
y proteins in the regulation of VSMC proliferation and its implication in i
ntimal lesion formation during the pathogenesis of vascular proliferative d
iseases.