The Journal of Cell Biology, Vol 87, 594-600, Copyright © 1980 by The Rockefeller University Press

ARTICLES

Permanently proliferating rat vascular smooth muscle cell with maintained expression of smooth muscle characteristics, including actin of the vascular smooth muscle type

WW Franke, E Schmid, J Vandekerckhove and K Weber

Cells of an established clonal line (RVF-SMC) derived from rat vena cava are described by light and electron microscope methods and biochemical analysis of the major proteins. The cells are flat, and they moderately elongate and form monolayers. They are characterized by prominent cables of microfilaments bundles decoratable with antibodies to actin and alpha-actinin. These bundles contain numerous densely stained bodies and are often flanked by typical rows of surface caveolae and vesicles. The cells are rich in intermediate-sized filaments of the vimentin type but do not show detectable amounts of desmin and cytokeratin filaments. Isoelectric focusing and protein chemical studies have revealed actin heterogeneity. In addition to the two cytoplasmic actins, beta and gamma, common to proliferating cells, two smooth muscle-type actins (an acidic alpha-like and a gamma-like) are found. The major (alpha-type) vascular smooth muscle actin accounts for 28% of the total cellular actin. No skeletal muscle or cardiac muscle actin has been detected. The synthesis of large amounts of actin and vimentin and the presence of at least three actins, including alpha- like actin, have also been demonstrated by in vitro translation of isolated poly(A)+ mRNAs. This is, to our knowledge, the first case of expression of smooth muscle-type actin in a permanently growing cell. We conclude that permanent cell growth and proliferation is compatible with the maintained expression of several characteristic cell features of the differentiated vascular smooth muscle cell including the formation of smooth muscle-type actin.
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Takahashi, N., Itoh, M. T., Ishizuka, B. (2008). Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Induces Nestin Expression in Endothelial Cells of the Ovary via Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Signaling. Endocrinology 149: 253-260 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Alsheimer, M., von Glasenapp, E., Hock, R., Benavente, R. (1999). Architecture of the Nuclear Periphery of Rat Pachytene Spermatocytes: Distribution of Nuclear Envelope Proteins in Relation to Synaptonemal Complex Attachment Sites. Mol. Biol. Cell 10: 1235-1245 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gajewski, A, Krohne, G (1999). Subcellular distribution of the Xenopus p58/lamin B receptor in oocytes and eggs. J. Cell Sci. 112: 2583-2596 [Abstract]  
• Alsheimer, M, Fecher, E, Benavente, R (1998). Nuclear envelope remodelling during rat spermiogenesis: distribution and expression pattern of LAP2/thymopoietins. J. Cell Sci. 111: 2227-2234 [Abstract]  
• Schmidt-Zachmann, M. S., Knecht, S., Krämer, A. (1998). Molecular Characterization of a Novel, Widespread Nuclear Protein That Colocalizes with Spliceosome Components. Mol. Biol. Cell 9: 143-160 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ewald, A, Kossner, U, Scheer, U, Dabauvalle, M. (1996). A biochemical and immunological comparison of nuclear and cytoplasmic pore complexes. J. Cell Sci. 109: 1813-1824 [Abstract]  
• Vester, B, Smith, A, Krohne, G, Benavente, R (1993). Presence of a nuclear lamina in pachytene spermatocytes of the rat. J. Cell Sci. 104: 557-563 [Abstract]  
• Franke, W. W., Schmid, E., Schiller, D. L., Winter, S., Jarasch, E. D., Moll, R., Denk, H., Jackson, B. W., Illmensee, K. (1982). Differentiation-related Patterns of Expression of Proteins of Intermediate-size Filaments in Tissues and Cultured Cells. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 46: 431-453 [Abstract]  

Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents