Vascular smooth muscle cell and endothelial function

Vascular smooth muscle cell and endothelial function" is not a single molecular target but rather refers to the combined physiological roles of two distinct cell types in blood vessels—vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells. **VSMCs** are responsible for contraction, maintaining vascular tone, regulating blood pressure, and responding to injury by changing phenotype between contractile and synthetic states[2][3]. They express various contractile proteins (such as α-actin), adhesion receptors (integrins, cadherins), and signaling molecules that mediate their diverse functions[2][3]. **Endothelial cells**, which line the interior surface of blood vessels, regulate barrier function, inflammation, coagulation, vasodilation/vasoconstriction via nitric oxide production among other mediators. The term "vascular smooth muscle/endothelial function" is too broad for use as a canonical therapeutic target; it describes cellular processes or tissue-level functions rather than a specific receptor or molecule. Both VSMCs and endothelium are involved in cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis or restenosis after angioplasty due to their roles in vessel wall remodeling[1][3]. However, drugs typically target specific molecules within these cells—such as ion channels or receptors—not the overall "function." Therefore this entry should be flagged as incorrect for structured drug-target databases because it does not refer to an individual molecular entity suitable for direct pharmacological targeting.

Other names

VSMC and endothelial functionvascular smooth muscle/endothelial functionvascular SMC/endothelial function