Fig. 6
From: Cell-free microRNA-21: biomarker for intracranial aneurysm rupture
Schematic of miRNA-21 regulation of vascular activity. PTEN, phosphatase and tensin homolog protein; SMC, vascular smooth muscle cell; PDCD4, programmed cell death 4; Bcl-2, B cell lymphoma 2; AKT, serine/threonine protein kinase; Spry1, sprouty homologue 1; MMPs, matrix metalloproteinase. TIMPs, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase. As is revealed, downregulation of miRNA-21 resulted from stimulus may lead to increase of SMC apoptosis, decrease of EMC formation, and increase of degradation