The present invention is a vascular stent comprising a cylindrical wall radially expandable from a compressed state to an expanded state and including a plurality of cells. At least one cell includes a first primary member having a first restrainer member and a second primary member having a second restrainer member. When the cylindrical wall is in the expanded state, the first and second primary members are located a greater distance from each other than when the cylindrical wall is in the compressed state. The first and second restrainer members join to maintain the cylindrical wall in the compressed state. An expansion force applied to the cylindrical wall causes the first and second restrainer members to separate, thereby freeing the cylindrical wall to expand from the compressed state to the expanded state.