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Updated: Aug 16, 2025
Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Identification of cellular heterogeneity and key signaling pathways associated with vascular remodeling and
Yehu Yin1,2, Congcong Huang3, Zidi Wang3
1Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Aging of the vascular system is the main cause of many cardiovascular diseases. The structure and function of the blood vessel wall change with aging. To prevent age-related cardiovascular diseases, it is essential to understand the cellular heterogeneity of vascular wall and changes of cellular communication among cell subpopulations during aging. Here, using published single-cell RNA sequencing datasets of young and old monkey aortas, we analyzed the heterogeneity of vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells in detail and identified a distinct endothelial cell subpopulation that involved in vascular remodeling and calcification. Moreover, cellular communication that changed with aging was analyzed and we identified a number of signaling pathways that associated with vascular aging. We found that EGF signaling pathway play an essential role in vascular remodeling and calcification of aged aortas. This work provided a better understanding of vascular aging and laid the foundation for prevention of age-related vascular pathologies.
