Endothelial cells line the circulatory system and provide a smooth surface to prevent blood clots. They control blood pressure, repair injuries, form new blood cells, and filter in some organs. Dysfunction can lead to heart problems, atherosclerosis, and is common in smokers and those with certain health conditions.
Endothelial cells are a specialized type of body cell that lines the inner surface of all parts of the circulatory system, such as the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries. Endothelial cells are simple squamous epithelium, which means they have a flat shape and are arranged in a single layer of cells. Endothelial cells provide a smooth surface to keep blood flowing rapidly throughout the body and help prevent blood clots from forming within the circulatory system.
The structure formed by the enothelial cells is called the endothelium. The endothelium within the heart is more specifically known as the endocardium. Endothelial cells differ from other epithelial cells in that the cytoskeleton, which provides the cell’s internal structure, includes vimentin protein filaments rather than keratin filaments.
The endothelium is responsible for many essential biological functions. It is involved in vasodilation and vasoconstriction, the control of blood pressure through changes in the diameter of blood vessels, widening them to increase blood flow and narrowing them to reduce blood flow. When damaged, the endothelium begins the process of blood clotting, or clotting, to repair the injury and prevent bleeding. Endothelial cells are also involved in angiogenesis, the formation of new blood cells. They are also part of the immune response and help control the passage of white blood cells in and out of the bloodstream and engage in more specialized filtration in some organs, such as the brain and kidneys.
The endothelium is also involved in some disorders, including atherosclerosis, the thickening of the arterial walls due to the accumulation of cholesterol or other fatty materials. Dysfunction of the endothelium, characterized, for example, by reduced vasodilation and vasoconstriction, is often a warning sign of heart problems or atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction is also common in cigarette smokers and in patients with diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia or elevated blood cholesterol levels.
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