18. Vascular Endothelium Flashcards
What is the atherosclerosis timeline?
1) Foam cells
2) Fatty streak
3) Intermediate lesion
4) Atheroma
5) Fibrous plaque
6) Complicated lesion/rupture
What are the 3 layers of the blood vessels?
- Tunica intima - endothelium
- Tunica media - VSMCs
- Tunic adventitia - Vasa Vasorum (small blood vessels), Nerves
What is contact inhibition?
Regulatory mechanism in endothelial cells that makes sure they form a monolayer
What 4 main things do the functions of endothelial cells involve?
- Inflammation
- Vascular Tone and Permeability
- Angiogenesis
- Thrombosis and Haemostasis
What state do resting endothelial cells maintain compared to someone who has cut themselves?
(in terms of inflammation, thrombosis and angiogenesis)
Normal
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-thrombotic
• Anti-angiogenic
Cut
• Pro-inflammatory
• Pro-thrombotic
• Pro-angiogenic
In which part of the endothelium do leukocytes normally adhere to?
Post-capillary venules
In which part of the endothelium do leukocytes adhere to during atherosclerosis?
Activated endothelium of large arteries
Why does the activated endothelium attract leukocytes?
- Normally the selectins and integrins on leukocytes are turned off
- Some are turned on but don’t have complementary receptors on the endothelium
- Inflammation => activated endothelium => starts to express ligands
- Selectins on leukocyte weakly interacts with the endothelium
- Integrin high affinity state - strong binding
- Adhesion and transmigration
What is V-cadherin?
A protein present at endothelial junctions
How do endothelial cell membranes bind to each other?
- Homophilic attraction
- Binding membrane creates a zipper
- Junctions can unzip allowing substances to pass
What happens to babies born with integrin mutations?
- Live for around 3 months
- Unable to deal with infection
- Mutations in molecules are not compatible with life
What surrounds the endothelial cells in the capillary and post-capillary venule?
- Basement membrane
- Pericapillary cells (perycites)
- More pericytes in the post-capillary venule
How do leukocytes pass through the basement membrane?
- Enzymes used to break it down in its path, allowing them to pass through
- Thick layer in coronary artery or aorta stops it from passing => atherosclerosis
What is a positive protective signal?
- Laminar flow sensed by the endothelium
* Production of protective molecules e.g. NO and anticoagulants, is triggered
What does turbulent flow promote?
- Coagulation
- Leukocyte adhesion
- VSMC proliferation
- Endothelial apoptosis