OBJECTIVESet up a method to isolate and identify the small pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in vitro.

METHODSIn sterile conditions, separated the male SD rat pulmonary artery, digested by collagenase I and cultured primary PASMCs. Measured cell viability; observed by phase contrast microscope; identified by immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence staining as a label for smooth muscle alpha-actin.

RESULTSPASMCs were identified by morphology and immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, with the cell viability is over 96.5%. The primary culture could be subcultured after 4-7 days and successfully passaged without change in morphology and growth characteristic.

CONCLUSIONThis technique has advantage of the method is simple, short cultivate, good reproducibility, the primary cultured PASMCs quantity and the rapid growth.

Animals ; Arterioles ; cytology ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Lung ; blood supply ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; Primary Cell Culture ; methods ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley