Porcine aortic organ culture: a model to study the cellular response to vascular injury

Organ cultures of porcine thoracic aorta were studied to define the characteristics of this system as a model to study the reaction of endothelial cells (ECs) and the underlying smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to injury. Both nonwounded and wounded cultures, the latter having had part of the endothelial surface gently denuded with a scalpel blade, were studied over a 7 d period by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the nonwounded ECs underwent a shape change from elongated to polygonal within 24 h in culture. In both nonwounded and wounded explants there was cell proliferation beneath the nondenuded endothelium so that by 7 d several layers of cells were present showing features of the secretory type of SMCs. This proliferation, however, did not occur if the endothelium was totally removed from the aorta. There was also evidence of gaps between the surface ECs, and by 7 d lamellipodia of cells beneath the surface were present in these gaps. Occasionally, elongated cells were seen to be present on the surface of the endothelium. In the wounded organ culture, cell migration and proliferation occurred extending from the wound edge and producing a covering of cells on the denuded area. There were also multilayered cells beneath the surface similar to the nonwounded area. Occasional foam cells were seen in the depth of the multilayered proliferating cells. The results indicate that organ culture of porcine thoracic aorta is a good model to study the reaction of ECs and underlying SMCs to injury.