The mechanism of stem cell differentiation into smooth muscle cells

Abstract

Stem cells represent one of the most promising areas in biological and medical research for the treatment of vascular disease; by taking advantage of their unique ability to undergo unlimited self-renewal and to differentiate into specific cell lineages, they potentially provide an unlimited cell source for vascular tissue repair and for the construction of engineered vessels. Emerging evidence indicates that the mobilisation and recruitment of circulating or tissue-resident stem/progenitor cells give rise to smooth muscle cells (SMCs) which participate in numerous cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms that control smooth muscle differentiation and their recruitment from vascular progenitors is essential for stem cell therapy for vascular diseases and regenerative medicine. In this chapter, we examine the differentiation process of SMCs from pluripotent stem cells, highlighting the environmental cues and signalling pathways that control phenotypic modulation within the vasculature. We highlight the potential targets for promoting/inhibiting SMC differentiation and discuss their application for vessel-tissue engineering and treatment of cardiovascular pathologies.