Endothelium

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Diagram showing the location of endothelial cells

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Endothelial cells, which form the tunica intima, encircle an erythrocyte (E).

This article is about the lining of blood vessels. For the endothelium of the cornea, see corneal endothelium

The endothelium is the thin layer of cells that lines the interior surface of blood vessels, forming an interface between circulating blood in the lumen and the rest of the vessel wall. These cells are called endothelial cells. Endothelial cells line the entire circulatory system, from the heart to the smallest capillary. These cells reduce turbulence of the flow of blood allowing the fluid to be pumped farther.

Endothelial tissue is a specialized type of epithelium tissue (one of the four types of biological tissue in animals). More specifically, it is simple squamous epithelium.

The endothelium normally provides a non-thrombogenic surface because it contains heparan sulfate which acts as a cofactor for activating antithrombin III, a protease that cleaves several factors in the coagulation cascade.

Terminology

The foundational model of anatomy makes a distinction between endothelial cells and epithelial cells on the basis of which tissues they develop from and states that the presence of vimentin rather than keratin filaments separate these from epithelial cells.

Endothelium of the interior surfaces of the heart chambers are called endocardium. Both blood and lymphatic capillaries are composed of a single layer of endothelial cells called a monolayer.

Function

Endothelial cells are involved in many aspects of vascular biology, including:

• Atherosclerosis
• Barrier function - the endothelium acts as a selective barrier between the vessel lumen and surrounding tissue, controlling the passage of materials and the transit of white blood cells into and out of the bloodstream. Excessive or prolonged increases in permeability of the endothelial monolayer, as in cases of chronic inflammation, may lead to tissue oedema/swelling.
• Blood clotting (thrombosis & fibrinolysis)
• Inflammation
• Formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis)
• Vasoconstriction and vasodilation, and hence the control of blood pressure

In some organs, there are highly differentiated endothelial cells to perform specialized 'filtering' functions. Examples of such unique endothelial structures include the renal glomerulus and the blood-brain barrier.

Pathology

Endothelial dysfunction, or the loss of proper endothelial function, is a hallmark for vascular diseases, and is often regarded as a key early event in the development of atherosclerosis. Impaired endothelial function is often seen in patients with coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, as well as in smokers. Endothelial dysfunction has also been shown to be predictive of future adverse cardiovascular events. One of the main mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction is the diminishing of nitric oxide, often due to high levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine, which interfere with the normal L-arginine-stimulated nitric oxide synthesis. The most prevailing mechanism of endothelial dysfunction is an increase in reactive oxygen species, which can impair nitric oxide production and activity via several mechanisms. The signalling protein ERK5 is essential for maintaining normal endothelial cell function .

See also

• Apelin
• Caveolae
• Endocardium
• Endothelial microparticles
• Endothelial progenitor cells
• Endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF)
• Robert F. Furchgott (1998 Nobel prize for discovery of EDRF)
• Platelet activation
• Susac's syndrome
• Tunica intima
• VE-cadherin
• Weibel-Palade bodies

References

Bibliography

• Molecular Biology of the CELL, 4th edition, Alberts et al., 2002

External links

• Endothelium at eMedicine Dictionary
• Organology at UC Davis Circulatory/vessels/capillaries1/capillaries3, "Capillaries, non-fenestrated (EM, Low)"
• Histology at BU 21402ooa
• Endothelium Journal of Endothelial Cell Research, Informa Healthcare
• Platelet Activation, University of Washington

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