Cell culture model to study cerebral aneurysm biology

Abstract

Mechanisms governing cerebral aneurysm (CA) formation, progression, and rupture remain incompletely understood. However, understanding such mechanisms is critical to improving treatment for patients harboring CA. In vitro studies facilitate dissecting molecular mechanisms underlying vascular pathology and allow screening of therapies that can be subsequently explored in vivo. Cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) are an important constituent of the vessel wall, and phenotypic modulation of these cells to a pro-inflammatory, pro-matrix remodeling phenotype appears to be important in CA pathology. We have taken a reductionist approach using cultured cerebral VSMC to further explore CA biology. We describe techniques for culturing cerebral VSMC and outline experimental approaches incorporating these cells to study CA biology.