Multiple growth abnormalities in vascular smooth muscle from spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. In tissue culture the growth characteristics of aortic smooth muscle cells isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were compared with those of normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. 2. Aortic smooth muscle cells from SHR exhibit enhanced proliferation when grown in the presence of low (1%) and moderate (5%) concentrations of fetal calf serum. 3. Cell quiescence in cultures of smooth muscle from SHR becomes apparent at cell densities approximately 20% higher than in cultures from WKY rats. 4. These different growth characteristics of smooth muscle between the two strains of rats may contribute to the early pre-hypertensive development of vascular hypertrophy in the SHR.