Preferential secretion of collagen type 3 versus type 1 from adventitial fibroblasts stimulated by TGF-β/Smad3-treated medial smooth muscle cells

► TGF-β/Smad3-treated SMCs stimulate preferential CN-3 secretion from fibroblasts. ► TGF-β/Smad3-treated SMCs secrete higher levels of CTGF and IGF2. ► CTGF and IGF2 together mediate preferential fibroblast CN-3 versus CN-1 secretion. ► CN-3 is elastic and CN-1 is rigid; more CN-3 favors adaptive remodeling.