Smooth muscle cells were grown from explants of the tunica media of fetal and adult human aorta. Collagen was isolated after incubation with [ 14 C]glycine and was characterized by ion-exchange chromatography. All cells investigated synthesized two types of collagen: Type I (chain composition [al(I)] 2 a2) and type III (chain composition [al(III)] 3 ). The collagen made by cells from adult donors contained approximately 70% type I and 30% type III collagen. This corresponds to the collagen composition in the original tissue. No age-related change in the type I/type III ratio was found with cells from donors between 9 and 67 years of age. On the other hand, the type III portion of the collagen made by fetal cells was markedly less (about 15 -20% of total collagen).
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