Hamster Small Intestinal Smooth Muscle Cells

Hamster Small Intestinal Smooth Muscle Cells are main smooth muscle cells derived from the small intestine of healthy hamsters. These cells constitute one of the principal contractile cell populations of the intestinal wall and are necessary for the regulation of gastrointestinal motility, luminal transport and coordinated peristaltic activity. In vivo, intestinal smooth muscle cells are organized into circular and longitudinal muscular layers that operate in concert to control movement and mixing of the intestinal contents.

Cultured hamster small intestine smooth muscle cells proliferate as adherent cells with an elongated spindle-shaped appearance. They display classic smooth muscle markers, such as α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SM-MHC) and calponin, suggesting their contractile phenotype. Like smooth muscle cells of other gastrointestinal tissues, these cells respond to neurotransmitters, growth hormones, inflammatory mediators and mechanical stimuli that regulate cellular contraction, proliferation and phenotypic modification.

These cells are a good in vitro model for the study of processes of gastrointestinal motility, smooth muscle physiology, calcium signaling and cell-matrix interactions. They may also be used in studies of intestinal remodeling, inflammatory reactions, smooth muscle differentiation and pharmacological evaluation of drugs affecting gastrointestinal function. Hamsters are often used in investigations of infectious disease and gastrointestinal biology, therefore these cells may also prove useful for comparative studies of intestinal biology and host tissue responses under controlled experimental conditions.