A Specific Subset of Mouse Bone Marrow Cells Has Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation Capacity–Brief Report

Objective— To determine whether CX 3 CR1 + bone marrow cells have the capacity for smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation. Methods and Results— CX 3 CR1 + and CX 3 CR1 − cells were isolated from marrow of CX 3 CR1 transgenic mice and cultured in SMC differentiation media. Phenotypic and functional analyses showed only CX 3 CR1 + bone marrow cells exhibit colony cell outgrowth with SMC-specific protein expression, calcium signaling, and contraction responses similar to mature SMC. Conclusion— CX 3 CR1 marks a bone marrow cells population that enriches for progenitors with capacity to differentiate in vitro into SMC-like cells.