Isolation and Culture of Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells and In Vitro Calcification Assay

Elevated serum phosphorus is a major risk factor for vascular calcification, which is characterized by the presence of calcium phosphate deposits, mainly hydroxyapatite crystals. In vitro studies of phosphate-induced calcification show that vascular smooth muscle cells undergo calcification with features similar to those observed in pathological vascular calcification in vivo, including the presence of hydroxyapatite crystals. Here, we describe the double-collagenase digestion method for isolating vascular smooth muscle cells from aorta, and a method for inducing calcification in vitro using high phosphate concentration.