Single-cell lineage tracing unveils sex differences in VSMCs derived from the cardiac neural crest and second heart field

Stanford type A thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) affects the ascending aorta and aortic arch and can cause sudden death due to rupture. Epidemiological studies have shown that TAAD occurs more frequently in men than women. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are one of the major cell types in the vascular wall and play a critical role in the pathogenesis of TAAD. Recent studies have highlighted the developmental heterogeneity of VSMCs in the ascending aorta and aortic arch, which...