Vascular Endothelium Flashcards
What are the three main layers of the vascular endothelium?
Tunica adventitia
Tunica media
Tunia intima
What is found within the tunica adventitia?
Vaso vasorum
Nerves
Which types of fibres form the tunica media?
Smooth muscle cells and elastic fibres
What is the tunica intima?
Endothelium
Which cells support the venule and capillary endothelium?
Mural cells (pericytes)
What is the function of pericyte?
Maintains homeostatic and haemostatic function
What are the main functions of the microvascular endothelium? (6)
- Release angiocrine factors
- Regulate permeability of vessels
- Regulate immune response
- Angiogenesis
- Vascular tone
- Haemostasis and thrombosis
Which factor is secreted by the endothelium and mediates platelet adhesion?
Von Willebrand Factor
What is endothelial heterogeneity?
Endothelial cells and microvasculature have organotypic (tissue specific) properties and expression profiles.
The endothelial phenotype is dependent on location
What are the three types of endothelium?
Fenestrated continuous endothelium
Non-fenestrated continuous endothelium
Discontinuous
Where are fenestrated continuous endothelium found?
Kidney glomerulus, and gastrointestinal tract to facilitate filtration and absorption
Where are the non-fenestrated continuous endothelium found?
In muscle and blood brain barrier
What type of endothelium forms the blood brain barrier?
Non-fenestrated
What type of endothelium is found within the liver?
Discontinuous
What type of layer is formed by the endothelium?
Monolayer
Which types of proteins are involved in cell adhesion and the formation of the monolayer?
E-cadherins
Which process arrests cell growth when cells come in contact with each other?
Contact inhibition
Describe the proliferation rate in endothelial cells
Low proliferation rate unless angiogenesis is induced
What is the resting equilibrium in endothelial cells?
A balance between anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and anti-proliferative factors with
pro-inflammatory, pro-thrombotic and pro-angiogenic factors
Which factors activate the endothelium?
OxLDL, High glucose, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Mechanical stress, Viruses, Smoking
What are the responses of the activated endothelium?
Thrombosis
Senescence
Permeability
Leukocyte recruitment
What are the matrix products involved in angiogenesis?
Fibronectin Laminin Collagen Proteoglycans Proteases
What are the growth factors concerned with angiogenesis?
Insulin-like growth factor
Transforming growth factor
Colony stimulating factor
Which adhesion molecules exist on the endothelium and promote neutrophil migration?
ICAM and VCAM
Selectins - P-selectin
Which inflammatory mediators are secreted by the endothelium?
IL-1, 6, 8
Leukotrienes
MHC-II
What are the four main functions of the endothelium?
Angiogenesis
Inflammation
Vascular tone and permeability
Thrombosis and haemostasis
Which type of factor is endothelin?
Vasoconstricting factor
Which type of factor is thromboxane A2?
Vasoconstricting factor
What are the vasoconstricting factors released by the endothelium?
Angiotensin-Converting Enzymes (ACE) Thromboxane A2 Leukotrienes Free radicals Endothelin
What are the two vasodilator factors released by the endothelium?
Nitric oxide
Prostacyclin
What are the procoagulant factors that are released by the endothelium?
- Von Willebrand factor
- Thromboxane A2
- Thromboplastin
- Factor V
- Platelet activating factor
- Plasminogen activator inhibitor
What are the anti-thrombotic factors released by the endothelium?
• Prostacyclin,
thrombomodulin, antithrombin, PA heparin.
What is the first step of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis?
Increased endothelial permeability to lipoproteins and plasma constituents mediated by nitric oxide, prostacyclin, platelet derived growth factor and endothelin.