Abstract
Actin of smooth muscle cells of rat and human aortic media shows a predominance of the alpha-isoform. In experimental rat aortic intimal thickening, in human atheromatous plaque, and in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells, there is a typical switch in actin expression with a predominance of the beta-form and a noticeable amount of gamma-form. This pattern of actin expression represents a new reliable protein-chemical marker of experimental and human atheromatous smooth muscle cells.