Cerebral artery smooth muscle cell

Cerebral artery smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are specialized contractile cells encircling the walls of arteries in the brain. They regulate cerebral blood flow by contracting or relaxing in response to neural, metabolic, and myogenic stimuli, primarily through changes in intracellular calcium and membrane potential. These cells express a diverse set of ion channels (including voltage-gated calcium channels, potassium channels such as BKCa and Kv, and non-selective cation channels of the TRP family), signaling proteins, and contractile elements (such as actins and myosins). Dysfunction of cerebral artery VSMCs contributes to diseases including hypertension, stroke, and cerebrovascular disorders. However, as a cell type rather than a specific molecule, they are not a single druggable "target" [5][1][3][2][6].

Other names

Cerebral artery vascular smooth muscle cellCerebral artery VSMCArterial smooth muscle (in cerebral arteries)VSMC of cerebral arteries

Not applicable as a cell type; mechanisms relate to the specific molecular targets expressed by these cells (e.g., calcium channel blockade causing vasodilation).