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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
[The role of osteopontin in cardiovascular diseases]
Wojciech Witkiewicz1, Agnieszka Czyzewska-Buczyńska, Sebastian Bałasz
1Wojewódzki Szpital Specjalistyczny we Wrocławiu, Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy.
Abstract:
Osteopontin (OPN) is an acid phosphorylated glycoprotein secreted by cells of the immune system, epithelial cells, smooth muscle cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, tumor cells and many more. Osteopontin is a multifunctional protein. Due to characteristic molecular structure containing integrin bining domains, OPN can interact with several integrin receptors, thus it play a role in activation, adhesion and migration of many cell types in such processes as inflammation, tissue mineralization and tumor genesis. This broad biological action of osteopontin underlie its presumed role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm formation.
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