Oscillatory Flow Effects on Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells

A cell culture System to mimic the circumferential expansion of the arterial wall was supplemented with a flow control System for model enhancement. The given System imposed uniaxial sinusoidal stretch (1 Hz) with a 10 % elongation to an elastic silicone substrate upon which rat aortic smooth muscle cells were cultured. Occurring fluid motion during a stretch experiment caused oscillating shear stress upon the Gell layer of approximately 0.6 dynes/cm2 (60 x 10-3 N/m2) and was controlled by the newly added oscillatory flow System. ...