Adult Stem Cells Found in Artery Walls

Researchers have shown that a subpopulation of adult artery wall cells has the ability to differentiate into cartilage, bone, muscle, or marrow stromal cells. These adult stem cells may increase potential treatment options and avoid the controversial use of fetal stem cells.

Investigators at the University of California, Los Angeles (USA; www.ucla.edu) isolated calcifying vascular cells (CVCs) by dilution cloning of bovine aortic medial cells. To determine the multilineage potential of CVCs, molecular and functional markers of multiple mesenchymal lineages were assessed. Chondrogenic potential of CVCs was evidenced by expression of types II and IX collagen and cytochemical staining for Alcian blue. Leiomyogenic potential of CVCs was evidenced by the expression of smooth muscle-alpha actin, calponin, caldesmon, and myosin heavy chain. Stromogenic potential of CVCs was evidenced by the ability to support growth of colony-forming units of hematopoietic progenitor cells from human CD34+ umbilical cord blood cells for a period of five weeks.

The study, published in the October 27, 2003, online edition of Circulation, revealed that CVC cells had the potential to become several cell types, including bone, cartilage, marrow stromal and muscle cells, but not adipogenic, or fat, cells. CVC cells behaved like stem cells but could only differentiate into a limited number of cell varieties.

"This is the first study to show that cells in the artery wall have the potential to develop into a number of other cell types,” said senior author Dr. Linda Demer, professor of cardiovascular and vascular medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.



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