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International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2019The vascular endothelium, a monolayer of endothelial cells (EC), constitutes the inner cellular lining of arteries, veins and capillaries and therefore is in direct... (Review)
Review
The vascular endothelium, a monolayer of endothelial cells (EC), constitutes the inner cellular lining of arteries, veins and capillaries and therefore is in direct contact with the components and cells of blood. The endothelium is not only a mere barrier between blood and tissues but also an endocrine organ. It actively controls the degree of vascular relaxation and constriction, and the extravasation of solutes, fluid, macromolecules and hormones, as well as that of platelets and blood cells. Through control of vascular tone, EC regulate the regional blood flow. They also direct inflammatory cells to foreign materials, areas in need of repair or defense against infections. In addition, EC are important in controlling blood fluidity, platelet adhesion and aggregation, leukocyte activation, adhesion, and transmigration. They also tightly keep the balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis and play a major role in the regulation of immune responses, inflammation and angiogenesis. To fulfill these different tasks, EC are heterogeneous and perform distinctly in the various organs and along the vascular tree. Important morphological, physiological and phenotypic differences between EC in the different parts of the arterial tree as well as between arteries and veins optimally support their specified functions in these vascular areas. This review updates the current knowledge about the morphology and function of endothelial cells, particularly their differences in different localizations around the body paying attention specifically to their different responses to physical, biochemical and environmental stimuli considering the different origins of the EC.
Topics: Animals; Blood Platelets; Endothelial Cells; Endothelium, Vascular; Humans; Leukocytes; Regional Blood Flow
PubMed: 31500313
DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184411 -
International Journal of Biological... 2013Alterations of endothelial cells and the vasculature play a central role in the pathogenesis of a broad spectrum of the most dreadful of human diseases, as endothelial... (Review)
Review
Alterations of endothelial cells and the vasculature play a central role in the pathogenesis of a broad spectrum of the most dreadful of human diseases, as endothelial cells have the key function of participating in the maintenance of patent and functional capillaries. The endothelium is directly involved in peripheral vascular disease, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, insulin resistance, chronic kidney failure, tumor growth, metastasis, venous thrombosis, and severe viral infectious diseases. Dysfunction of the vascular endothelium is thus a hallmark of human diseases. In this review the main endothelial abnormalities found in various human diseases such as cancer, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and viral infections are addressed.
Topics: Disease; Endothelium, Vascular; Humans
PubMed: 24250251
DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.7502 -
Physiological Reviews Jul 2019A central function of the vascular endothelium is to serve as a barrier between the blood and the surrounding tissue of the body. At the same time, solutes and cells... (Review)
Review
A central function of the vascular endothelium is to serve as a barrier between the blood and the surrounding tissue of the body. At the same time, solutes and cells have to pass the endothelium to leave or to enter the bloodstream to maintain homeostasis. Under pathological conditions, for example, inflammation, permeability for fluid and cells is largely increased in the affected area, thereby facilitating host defense. To appropriately function as a regulated permeability filter, the endothelium uses various mechanisms to allow solutes and cells to pass the endothelial layer. These include transcellular and paracellular pathways of which the latter requires remodeling of intercellular junctions for its regulation. This review provides an overview on endothelial barrier regulation and focuses on the endothelial signaling mechanisms controlling the opening and closing of paracellular pathways for solutes and cells such as leukocytes and metastasizing tumor cells.
Topics: Animals; Blood-Air Barrier; Blood-Brain Barrier; Endothelial Cells; Endothelium, Vascular; Humans; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 31140373
DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00037.2018 -
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and... Sep 2021Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition is a dynamic process in which endothelial cells suppress constituent endothelial properties and take on mesenchymal cell behaviors.... (Review)
Review
Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition is a dynamic process in which endothelial cells suppress constituent endothelial properties and take on mesenchymal cell behaviors. To begin the process, endothelial cells loosen their cell-cell junctions, degrade the basement membrane, and migrate out into the perivascular surroundings. These initial endothelial behaviors reflect a transient modulation of cellular phenotype, that is, a phenotypic modulation, that is sometimes referred to as partial endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Loosening of endothelial junctions and migration are also seen in inflammatory and angiogenic settings such that endothelial cells initiating endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition have overlapping behaviors and gene expression with endothelial cells responding to inflammatory signals or sprouting to form new blood vessels. Reduced endothelial junctions increase permeability, which facilitates leukocyte trafficking, whereas endothelial migration precedes angiogenic sprouting and neovascularization; both endothelial barriers and quiescence are restored as inflammatory and angiogenic stimuli subside. Complete endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition proceeds beyond phenotypic modulation such that mesenchymal characteristics become prominent and endothelial functions diminish. In proadaptive, regenerative settings the new mesenchymal cells produce extracellular matrix and contribute to tissue integrity whereas in maladaptive, pathologic settings the new mesenchymal cells become fibrotic, overproducing matrix to cause tissue stiffness, which eventually impacts function. Here we will review what is known about how TGF (transforming growth factor) β influences this continuum from junctional loosening to cellular migration and its relevance to cardiovascular diseases.
Topics: Animals; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cell Movement; Endothelial Cells; Endothelium, Vascular; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Humans; Permeability; Phenotype; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 34196216
DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.121.313788 -
Biochemical Society Transactions Feb 2021The endothelial cell response to glucose plays an important role in both health and disease. Endothelial glucose-induced dysfunction was first studied in diabetic animal... (Review)
Review
The endothelial cell response to glucose plays an important role in both health and disease. Endothelial glucose-induced dysfunction was first studied in diabetic animal models and in cells cultured in hyperglycemia. Four classical dysfunction pathways were identified, which were later shown to result from the common mechanism of mitochondrial superoxide overproduction. More recently, non-coding RNA, extracellular vesicles, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors were shown to affect glucose-induced endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial cells also metabolize glucose for their own energetic needs. Research over the past decade highlighted how manipulation of endothelial glycolysis can be used to control angiogenesis and microvascular permeability in diseases such as cancer. Finally, endothelial cells transport glucose to the cells of the blood vessel wall and to the parenchymal tissue. Increasing evidence from the blood-brain barrier and peripheral vasculature suggests that endothelial cells regulate glucose transport through glucose transporters that move glucose from the apical to the basolateral side of the cell. Future studies of endothelial glucose response should begin to integrate dysfunction, metabolism and transport into experimental and computational approaches that also consider endothelial heterogeneity, metabolic diversity, and parenchymal tissue interactions.
Topics: Animals; Biological Transport; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Endothelial Cells; Endothelium, Vascular; Glucose; Glycolysis; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Neovascularization, Physiologic
PubMed: 33522573
DOI: 10.1042/BST20200611 -
Current Topics in Membranes 2018
Topics: Cell Membrane; Endothelium, Vascular; Humans; Lung; Pulmonary Circulation; Vascular Diseases
PubMed: 30360785
DOI: 10.1016/S1063-5823(18)30049-8 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jan 2023The vascular endothelium plays a vital role during embryogenesis and aging and is a cell monolayer that lines the blood vessels. The immune system recognizes the... (Review)
Review
The vascular endothelium plays a vital role during embryogenesis and aging and is a cell monolayer that lines the blood vessels. The immune system recognizes the endothelium as its own. Therefore, an abnormality of the endothelium exposes the tissues to the immune system and provokes inflammation and vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Its secretory role allows it to release vasoconstrictors and vasorelaxants as well as cardio-modulatory factors that maintain the proper functioning of the circulatory system. The sealing of the monolayer provided by adhesion molecules plays an important role in cardiovascular physiology and pathology.
Topics: Humans; Endothelium, Vascular; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; Vascular Diseases
PubMed: 36768314
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24031998 -
Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia Aug 2014Involvement of the cardiovascular system in patients with infectious and parasitic diseases can result from both intrinsic mechanisms of the disease and drug... (Review)
Review
Involvement of the cardiovascular system in patients with infectious and parasitic diseases can result from both intrinsic mechanisms of the disease and drug intervention. Malaria is an example, considering that the endothelial injury by Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes can cause circulatory disorders. This is a literature review aimed at discussing the relationship between malaria and endothelial impairment, especially its effects on the cardiovascular system. We discuss the implications of endothelial aggression and the interdisciplinarity that should guide the malaria patient care, whose acute infection can contribute to precipitate or aggravate a preexisting heart disease.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Endothelium, Vascular; Erythrocytes; Humans; Malaria; Plasmodium
PubMed: 25014058
DOI: 10.5935/abc.20140088 -
Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis :... Jun 2013The microvasculature is an immense organ that defines the environmental conditions within tissues in both health and disease, and is vital for the proper functions of... (Review)
Review
The microvasculature is an immense organ that defines the environmental conditions within tissues in both health and disease, and is vital for the proper functions of all tissues. Here, we describe existing tools to study vascular cell function and our work using one platform of in vitro microvessels, which we employed to study vessel structure and remodeling, endothelial barrier function, angiogenesis, interactions between endothelial cells and perivascular cells, interactions between blood cells and the endothelium, and microvascular thrombosis. We also briefly discuss the potential future applications of these platforms in biology and medicine.
Topics: Endothelium, Vascular; Humans; Microvessels
PubMed: 23809111
DOI: 10.1111/jth.12245 -
Journal of Diabetes Research 2016
Topics: Animals; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetic Angiopathies; Endothelial Progenitor Cells; Endothelium, Vascular; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Neovascularization, Pathologic
PubMed: 26989698
DOI: 10.1155/2016/5349801