Where do we stand on vascular calcification?
Vascular disease, such as atherosclerosis and diabetic vasculopathy, is frequently complicated by vascular calcification. Previously believed to be an end-stage process of unregulated mineral precipitation, it is now well established to be a multi-faceted disease influenced by the characteristics of its vascular location, the origins of calcifying cells and numerous regulatory pathways. It reflects the fundamental plasticity of the vasculature that is gradually being revealed by progress in vascular and stem cell biology. This review provides a brief overview of where we stand in our understanding of vascular calcification, facing the challenge of translating this knowledge into viable preventive and therapeutic strategies.
Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Box 951679, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1679, United States; Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, United States. Electronic address: kbostrom@mednet.ucla.edu.
Kristina I
KI
Boström
D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy
Calcifying cells; Review; Signaling pathway; Vascular calcification