To investigate ILK's role in vascular signal transduction, SMC‐specific Ilk−/− mice were created (Sm22‐cre+;IlkFl/Fl), which showed extremely dilated thoracic aortic aneurysms (up to 50% of the thorax) and PDA with associated perinatal lethality (Figure 1Q).37 This evidence concerns the gene ILK and thoracic aortic aneurysm.