Dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells upon vessel injury

Highly differentiated mature vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the predominant type of cells constituting arterial walls, which are essential for maintaining the structural and functional integrity of blood vessels. VSMCs demonstrate a notable degree of adaptability following vascular damage, a characteristic that plays a crucial role in the progression of vascular remodeling. Advances in single-cell RNA sequencing in both healthy and pathological vascular tissues have offered profound insights into the complexity of VSMCs, revealing a more intricate diversity than previously recognized. In response to injury, VSMCs undergo dedifferentiation and exhibit pluripotent markers. This review summarizes the researches that have employed lineage tracing alongside single-cell sequencing analysis to explore the dynamics of vascular damage. The primary focus of this study was on the process of dedifferentiation in VSMCs, with particular attention to its underlying mechanisms. The discussion included the impact of microenvironmental cues, the control of transcription factors, and the various molecular pathways involved in VSMCs dedifferentiation. Herein, we provide a comprehensive analysis of cells dedifferentiated from adult VSMCs upon vascular injury.