PDGF, TGF-beta, and heterotypic cell-cell interactions mediate endothelial cell-induced recruitment of 10T1/2 cells and their differentiation to a smooth muscle fate

The differentiation and recruitment of a multipotent precursor toward smooth muscle (SM) cell lineage induced by endothelial cells (EC) were demonstrated. EC stimulated migration of 10T1/2 cells through plate-derived growth factor BB in an under-aragose culture. Results of the Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the expression of calponin, SM22-alpha and SM-myosin proteins was substantially stimulated in 10T1/2 cells cocultured with EC.