Pathology of Atherosclerosis Flashcards
Types of Blood Vessels: Arteries
Large or elastic: -Aorta and major branches (innominate, subclavian, common carotid, & iliac) and pulmonary artery. Medium-sized or muscular - Coronary arteries, renal arteries Small arteries (< 2mm) and arterioles (20-100 microns) course within connective tissue of organs
Muscular artery
Media is primarily smooth muscle cells and elastic fibers are limited to internal and external elastic lamina.
Small arteries & arterioles
Media: essentially all smooth muscle cells. Arterioles: thin elastic membrane; terminal arterioles-no elastica - Points of physiologic resistance - Medial Smooth muscle contraction: adjusts blood pressure & blood flow.
Capillaries
- Large cross-sectional area with slow blood flow and thin walls - 7-8 microns in diameter - partially surrounded by smooth muscle-like cells -> pericytes.
Venules
- points where leukocytes emigrate in inflammation
Veins
- Large caliber, thin walled - Contain 2/3 of blood volume
Lymphatics
- Drain interstitial fluid into blood - Pathway for dissemination of disease
Endothelial Cell Properties and Functions:
- Maintenance of permeability barrier - Elaboration of anticoagulant, antithrombotic, fibrinolytic regulators - Elaboration of prothrombotic molecules - Extracellular matrix production - Modulation of blood flow and vasculat reactivity - Regulation of inflammation and immunity - Regulation of cell growth - Oxidation of LDL
What are the mediators for the elaboration of anticoagulant, antithrombotic, fibrinolytic regulators?
Prostacyclin Thrombomodulin Heparin-like molecules Plasminogen
What are the mediators for the Elaboration of prothrombotic molecules?
Von Willebrand factor Tissue Factor Plasminogen activator inhibitor
What are the mediators for extracellular matrix production?
Collagen Proteoglycans
What are the mediators for the modulation of blood flow and vascular reactivity
Vasoconstriction: endothelin, ACE Vasodilators: NO, prostacyclin
What are the mediators for the regulation of inflammation and immunity
IL-1 IL-6 Chemokines Adhesion molecules: VCAM-1, ICAM, E-selectin, P-selectin Histocompatibility antigens
What are the mediators for the regulation of cell growth
Growth stimulators: PDGF, CSF, FGF Growth inhibitors: heparin, TGF-beta
Endothelial Cells: Response to Injury: Stimulation
Rapid, reversible responses, independent of new protein synthesis (ex. contraction in response to histamine)
Endothelial Cells: Response to Injury: Activation
Elaboration of gene products with biologic activity requires hours/days to develop.
Endothelial cell activation: “Basal State”
Non-adhesive, non-thrombogenic surface
Endothelial cell activation: “Activated state”
Increased expression of procoagulants, adhesion molecules, and proinflammatory factors. Altered expression of chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors.
Endothelial cells activation: Factors that cause a “Basal State”
Normotension Laminar Flow Growth factors (e.g. VEGF)
Endothelial cell activation: Factors that cause an “Activated State”
- Turbulent flow - Hypertension - Cytokines - Complement - Basterial products - Lipid products - Advanced glycation end-products - Hypoxia - Acidosis - Viruses - Cigarette Smoke