Fat-Containing Uterine Smooth Muscle Cells in "Toxemia": Possible Relevance to Atherosclerosis?

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Abstract
Uterine smooth muscle cells in "toxemia of pregnancy" contain varying amounts of fat--a feature to date believed to characterize only the arterial smooth muscle cells in atherosclerotic lesions. Thus, the smooth muscle cells at these two sites do not differ essentially in their reactivity to certain forms of injury: hypoxia may represent an injurious factor common to both "toxemia" and atherosclerosis. These observations imply that the view that the arterial smooth muscle cells are biologically different than are those elsewhere may no longer be tenable.