Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) are primary contributors to the development of arterial disease. The ability of vascular SMC to switch to a proliferative phenotype is one of the main factors in the development and progression of vascular disease. Vascular smooth muscle cells express ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, which may contribute to the inflammatory reaction in the vascular wall; and they indeed may actively be related with the progression of vascular disease. Vascular SMC in culture play an important role in vascular disease research. Human Umbilical Vein Smooth Muscle Cells also allow to identify new therapeutic targets to treat arterial disease.