Vessels Flashcards
Describe phenotypic heterogeneity
Arteries- ECs aligned in direction of flow, long and narrow cells, continuous endothelium with many tight junctions, no valves, specific markers- Ephrin B2
Veins- continuous endothelium, shorter wider cells not aligned in direction of flow, have valves, specific markers- Ephrin B4
Summarise endothelial function
Regulates vascular homeostasis Acts as both sensor and effector -blood flow regulation -permeability -homeostasis -neutrophil/leukocyte recruitment -hormone trafficking
Describe endothelial barrier function
Continuous non-fenestrated endothelium found in arteries, veins and capillaries if the brain, skin and heart- paracellular transport of water and small solutes, transcytosis- caveole smooth membrane invaginations and vesicles
Fenestrated continuous found in the glomerulus- pores have a diaphragm- permits greater transendothelial transport of fluids and solutes
Sinusoid found in the liver- large fenestrations that lack a diaphragm with a poorly formed basement membrane- high endocytic activity in clathrin-coated pots
Contain tight junctions (claudins, occludins, junctional adhesion molecules- JAMs)
Adherens- VE-cadherin
Gap junctions- connexins
What are VVOs?
Vesicular-vacuolar organelles
Form transcellular channels when they connect
A major route for transport of fluids and solutes across the endothelium particularly inflammatory situations
How does the endothelium provide a non-thrombogenic surface?
Tissue factor pathway inhibitor- blocks activation of extrinsic pathway
Thrombomodulin
Endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR)
Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA)
Prostacyclin and NO
Tissue plasminogen activator
ATPase breaks ATP down into AMP so it cannot activate platelets
What is the procoagulant by activity of the endothelium?
Induction of tissue factors
Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1
von Willebrand factor release
Describe the maturation if blood vessels
- Endothelial cell tube
- Capillary- EC tube, pericyte, basement membrane
- Arterioles and venules- EC tube, internal elastic lamina, smooth muscle cell, basement membrane, external elastic lamina
- Lymphatics- endothelial cells and valves, initial lymphatic and collecting lymphatics
Describe vascular endothelial growth factor
VEGF is the master regulator of physiological and pathological cal angiogenesis
Selective for endothelial cells via three high-affinity receptors
Loss of one allele is embryonic lethal
Over-expression leads to severe abnormalities and death in utero
In the adult VEGF overexpression leads to oedema and tumour growth
Inhibition cause hypertension, proteinuria, bleeding gums
Summarise the regulation of vascular tone
Vasodilation- NO and prostacyclin
Vasoconstriction- endothelin1, thromboxane, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion
Describe NO synthesis pathway
L-arginine converted by coupled eNOS to make NO and L-citruline
Or L-arginine is used in protein synthesis and the degraded in to ADMA and excreted
eNOS- regulation of vascular tone, inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation, inhibition of platelet aggregation
Describe the regulators of eNOS activity
Phosphorylation
Association with co-factors- BH4
Cellular location- sequestration by calveolin1 in a less active state
Calmodulin binds with calcium after its release from calveolin, hsp90 binds, Akt and PKA phosphorylate it
Describe the activity of NO
Freely diffusible gas that acts as a signalling molecule
Local activity- short half-life
Activity limited by circulating haemoglobin
Prevents thrombosis
Anti-inflammation
Anti-oxidant
Inhibits smooth muscle proliferation and migration
Atheroprotective
Activates guanylate cyclase- produces cGMP reduces Ca2+ and activates phosphodiesterase, activates PKG which limits activation if the myosin light chain and therefore cross-bridging
What is the function of prostacyclin on vascular smooth nuclear relaxation?
Bind IP receptors
Activates adenylate cyclase
Increasing cAMP conc activates PKA
Decreases Ca conc limiting smooth muscle contraction
What can be a consequence of eNOS uncoupling?
Loss of BH4 uncoupled the eNOS dimer- decreases NO and promotes superoxide generation
Increased NADPH and xanthine oxidase activity increase superoxide production
Peroxynitrite (OONO-) leads to further uncoupling of eNOS after oxidative damage to eNOS and/or BH4
Describe vascular complication in diabetes mellitus
Central and peripheral vasculopathies- retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to plaque rupture find atherothrombosis
Excessive O2- generation in mitochondria intimidates the vascular injury in response to hyperglycaemia
What is pre-eclampsia?
Maternal systemic syndrome caused by abnormal placentation in the first trimester
30% associated with intrauterine growth restriction of the foetus
Only cure is the delivery of the placenta
Leads to systemic endothelial activation, systemic inflammatory response
Splice variants of the flt1 gene are produced by the placenta and act to sequester VEGF and antagonise its activity in the maternal circulation
What nerves supply blood vessels?
Most vessels have only sympathetic innervation perivascular verve fibres in the adventia-media border and do not penetrate into the VSM
Vasoconstrictor- NA, ATP, NPY
Dilator- ACh, VIP and NO
Except from the cerebrum, heart, and reproductive tissue which also have parasympathetic
ACh, VIP NO