Everything about The Endothelium totally explained
The
endothelium is the thin layer of
cells that line the interior surface of
blood vessels, forming an interface between circulating
blood in the
lumen and the rest of the vessel wall. Endothelial cells line the entire
circulatory system, from the
heart to the smallest
capillary. These cells reduce
friction 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's
simple squamous epithelium.
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.
Function
Endothelial cells are involved in many aspects of vascular biology, including:
Endothelial cells also control the passage of materials — and the transit of
white blood cells — into and out of the bloodstream.
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 often leads to
atherosclerosis. This is very common in patients with
diabetes mellitus,
hypertension or other chronic pathophysiological conditions. 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.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Endothelium'.
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