Secretory Functions of Smooth Muscle: Cytokines and Growth Factors
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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.
- © American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Theraputics 2002
