Interesting article in Circulation research about Smooth Muscle growth.
Changes in blood pressure or flow induce arterial remodeling that normalizes mechanical loads that are imposed on arterial tissue. Arteries are also under substantial longitudinal stretch (axial strain) that may be altered by growth or atrophy of tissues to which they are attached. We therefore tested whether axial strain is also regulated in a negative feedback manner through arterial remodeling. Axial strain in rabbit carotid arteries was increased from 62±2% to 97±2% without altering other mechanical loads on wall tissues. Strain was reduced within 3 days and completely normalized by 7 days. Remodeling involved tissue elaboration,
endothelial cell replication rates were increased by >50-fold and smooth muscle cell replication rates were increased by >15-fold, and substantially elevated DNA, elastin, and collagen contents were recorded. Wall Tissue Remodeling Regulates Longitudinal Tension in Arteries -- Jackson et al. 90 (8): 918 -- Circulation Research