FIG. 7.

The phenotypic continuum demonstrated by vSMCs can be thought of as a function of both cytoskeletal remodeling (mechanical plasticity) and altered expression of vSMC-specific marker genes (phenotypic plasticity). The schematic presented here depicts the ability of matrix nanotopography (simulating matrix fibrils such as collagen and elastin) and stiffness (simulating the packing of the extracellular matrix proteins) to potentiate changes in smooth muscle function characterized by the more traditional, synthetic (proliferative), and contractile (mature differentiated) phenotypes, and the third, often overlooked, hypercontractile phenotype. Results presented in this study alluded to the possibility of conferring such a hypercontractile phenotype to the muscle cells when cultured on a stiff ANFS. This could be triggered by abnormal levels of Rho pathway effectors and cause diseased states found in hypertension or type II diabetes. ANFS refers to our ANFS using CFL.