Moreover, osteogenic-like VSMCs expressing Myh11+GDF10+RUNX2+ were detected in human atherosclerotic lesions, with a higher percentage of these cells present in endarterectomy carotid artery tissue of symptomatic patients who had experienced an ipsilateral ischemic stroke in comparison to asymptomatic patients (Figure 7e). This evidence concerns the gene RUNX2 and ischemic stroke.