Study Overview
Arteriosclerosis (atherosclerosis) is a pathological condition caused by lifestyle-related diseases and is strongly correlated with various other illnesses. The process of arteriosclerosis begins when cholesterol, including oxidized cholesterol (LDL), enters the vascular intima from the blood. Immune cells in the vascular intima, such as macrophages and T cells, recognize the LDL as a foreign substance and ingest it, releasing cytokines and other substances. When smooth muscle cells are stimulated by cytokines and other substances produced by immune cells, they infiltrate and migrate into the vascular intima. This thickens the arterial wall, leading to the formation of blood clots and impaired blood flow.
In this study, an arteriosclerosis model will be created using human aortic smooth muscle cells, and studies will be conducted to evaluate the anti-atherosclerotic effects of test substances.
Basic Experimental design
| Cells used | Human aortic smooth muscle cells (AoSMC), etc. |
|---|---|
| Preliminary study | Cytotoxicity assay |
| Main study | Cell proliferation inhibition, Cell count of invading cells |
*Studies will be mainly conducted by those with doctoral degrees.
