Secretory Functions of Smooth Muscle: Cytokines and Growth Factors

  1. William T. Gerthoffer and
  2. Cherie A. Singer
  1. Department of Pharmacology University of Nevada School of Medicine Reno, NV 89557-0270
  1. Address correspondence to WTG. E-mail wtg{at}med.unr.edu; fax 775-784-1620.

Abstract

Smooth muscle cells are important sources of interleukins, chemokines and growth factors in several organ systems. Proinflammatory, mitogenic, and promigratory stimuli produced by vascular and visceral smooth muscle cells may contribute significantly to pathologenesis of atherosclerosis, asthma, inflammatory bowel diseases, and preterm labor. Understanding the role of smooth muscle cells as sources of soluble signals may provide new insights into the cause of these chronic debilitating diseases, and may suggest new targets for developing anti-inflammatory therapy.

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