Advance in molecular imaging research of vascular smooth muscle cells in the vascular diseases

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the primary cells within the vascular wall structure and maintain the tension of blood vessels, playing a key role in the restenosis, atherosclerosis and some other vascular diseases. With the development of molecular imaging, VSMCs cellular level of imaging studies is becoming more and more attention. The phenotype modulation, proliferation, migration and molecular imaging research progress of VSMCs in pathologic state were reviewed, to improve the management of vascular restenosis and atherosclerosis. (authors)