Human Brachiocephalic Artery Endothelial Cells, HBcAEC, are primary endothelial cells isolated from normal brachiocephalic arteries and are cryopreserved at third passage. HBcAEC can be propagated at least 12 doublings. The brachiocephalic artery is the first branchfrom the aortic arch. HBcAEC provide an in vitro system to explore in vivo findings. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) knockout mice serve as a model for atherosclerotic lesion development, as fibrous plaques commonly form in the brachiocephalic artery after 6 months of a high-fat diet, thus providing a small well-defined area in which to study the progressive loss of plaque stability and eventual rupture^1,2,3. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the formation of plaques in the brachiocephalic artery⁴ and the carotid artery⁵. In vitro models demonstrate that addition of homocysteine leads to endothelial cell damage^6,7, and hyperhomocyteinemia is a risk factor for premature coronary artery, peripheral vascular, and cerebrovascular disease^8,9.

1. Williams, H et al., Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 22(5):788 (2002). 
2. Rosenfeld, ME et al., Cur Atheroscler Rep. 4(3):238 (2002).
3. Johnson, JL & Jackson, CL. Atherosclerosis. 154(2):399 (2001).
4. Johnson, JL et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 102(43):15575 (2005).
5. Abilleira, S et al., J Med Genet. 43(12):897 (2006).
6. McCully, KS. Nat Med. 2(4):386 (1996).
7. Wall, RT et al., Thromb Res. 18(1-2):113 (1980).
8. Stamler, JS et al., J Clin Invest. 91(1):308 (1993).
9. Woo, KS et al., Circulation. 96(8):2542 (1997).  

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