Coculture with SMCs induces ECs to increase their phosphorylation. Coculture with SMCs induces ECs to increase their phosphoryalation of ERK (A), JNK (B), p38 (C), and Akt (D). ECs were kept as controls (EC/∅) or cocultured with SMCs in the adjacent-bilayer model (EC/SMC) for the times indicated, and the phosphorylations of their ERK, JNK, p38, and Akt were determined by using Western blot analysis. The amounts of phosphorylated ERK, JNK, p38, and Akt proteins in EC/SMC are presented as band densities (normalized to the total protein levels) relative to those in control EC/∅. The results are mean ± SEM from 3 independent experiments. *P < .05 versus control EC/∅.