Stem Cells in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections: Potential Contributors to Aortic Repair

Stem cells are more abundant in TAAD tissue than in normal aortic tissue. Differentiation of SCs into smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and inflammatory cells within the diseased aortic wall suggests that SCs might be involved in both reparative and destructive remodeling processes in TAAD. Understanding the regulation of SC-mediated aortic remodeling will be a critical step toward designing strategies to promote aortic repair and prevent adverse remodeling.