Figure 8: Functional subgroups within SMao.

(a) Heat map indicating similarities/dissimilarities between 60 individual SMao. Cell clusters identified by k-means clustering are colour-coded along the axes. (b) Heat map of GPCR expression in SMao (cells sorted from left to right by clusters shown in a). (c) Graphical representation of Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients calculated for selected genes expressed in SMao (width of connecting line indicates strength of correlation). (d) Changes in gene expression in dedifferentiating SMC from healthy aortae or atherosclerotic aortae. (e–g) Immunohistochemical analysis of βgal and αSMA expression in transverse sections of the aortic arch of Gprc5b-βgal reporter mice (schematic diagram in e, exemplary photomicrographs in f, quantification in g. (h) Gene expression in SMao cultured for 7 days after knockdown of Gprc5b (normalized to Actb expression). Data in g,h are shown as mean±s.e.m.; comparisons were performed using two-sample t-test (g) or one-sample t-test (h) (n=4–6). *P<0.05.