Smooth muscle cells (SMC) are primary contributors to the development of arterial disease. The ability of vascular SMC to switch to a proliferative phenotype is one of the main factors in the development and progression of vascular disease. Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) express VEGF and FGF-2 and are subjected to mechanical forces during pulsatile blood flow. Chronic lung hypoxia causes vascular remodeling with PASMC hyperplasia, and results in pulmonary hypertension. Cultured PASMC play an important role in vascular disease research and can be used to identify new therapeutic targets to treat pulmonary vascular disease. HPASMC from ScienCell Research Laboratories are isolated from human pulmonary arteries. HPASMC are cryopreserved at passage one and delivered frozen. Each vial contains >5 x 105 cells in 1 ml volume. HPASMC are characterized by immunofluorescence with antibodies specific to α-smooth muscle actin. HPASMC are negative for HIV-1, HBV, HCV, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi. HPASMC are guaranteed to further expand for 15 population doublings under the conditions provided by ScienCell Research Laboratories. Recommended Medium It is recommended to use Smooth Muscle Cell Medium (SMCM, Cat. #1101) for culturing HPASMC in vitro.