Places the discovery of the key role of cardiac endothelial cells in the control and modulation of heart performance in historical perspective, emphasizing the contributions of numerous investigators since 1986. Summarizes the major morphological, embryological, and comparative physiological features of the cells, and details the two main hypotheses for understanding the underlying mechanisms of the interaction between cardiac endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes. Includes bandw photos. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
The endothelium, a monolayer of endothelial cells, constitutes the inner cellular lining of the blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries) and the lymphatic system, and therefore is in direct contact with the blood/lymph and the circulating cells. The endothelium is a major player in the control of blood fluidity, platelet aggregation and vascular tone, a major actor in the regulation of immunology, inflammation and angiogenesis, and an important metabolizing and an endocrine organ. Endothelial cells controls vascular tone, and thereby blood flow, by synthesizing and releasing relaxing and contracting factors such as nitric oxide, metabolites of arachidonic acid via the cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases and cytochrome P450 pathways, various peptides (endothelin, urotensin, CNP, adrenomedullin, etc.), adenosine, purines, reactive oxygen species and so on. Additionally, endothelial ectoenzymes are required steps in the generation of vasoactive hormones such as angiotensin II. An endothelial dysfunction linked to an imbalance in the synthesis and/or the release of these various endothelial factors may explain the initiation of cardiovascular pathologies (from hypertension to atherosclerosis) or their development and perpetuation. Table of Contents: Introduction / Multiple Functions of the Endothelial Cells / Calcium Signaling in Vascular Cells and Cell-to-Cell Communications / Endothelium-Dependent Regulation of Vascular Tone / Conclusion / References
The participation of endothelial cells in various physiologic and pathologic processes has been hypothesized since before the turn of the century. However, until recently, direct evidence for endothelial involvement in these processes has been extremely difficult to obtain due to the inability to study endothelial cell function in vitro. Though the possibility of using cultured endothelial cells to study endothelial cell function in vitro was recognized many years ago, the inability to culture unambiguously identifiable endothelial cells limited investigators in their studies of endothelial function. As a result, the field of endothelial cell biology lay relatively fallow for many years. The development in the early 1970's of routine and easily implemented methods for culturing human endothelial cells and the demonstration that cultured endothelial cells synthesized a physiologically relevant protein, Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor, quickly changed this state of affairs. Over the following decade the scope of endothelial cell research rapidly widened, spreading in a number of directions. First, methods were developed to culture endothelial cells from a variety of species. Second, methods were developed to culture endothelial cells from different organs and types of blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) within a single species. Third, and most important, investigators began using cultured endothelial cells as tools to study the potential involvement of endothelial cells in a wide assortment of biologically interesting processes. The net result has been a tremendous increase in our understanding of endothelial cell function.
Cardiovascular immunology is a newly emerging research area, investigating the crosstalk between the cardiovascular and the immune system. This crosstalk is evident through (1) crucial immunological capacities and functions of cardiovascular cell types, including cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, pericytes and cardiac resident macrophages, (2) the impact of aberrant immune function on the development of cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis, direct and indirect immune-mediated heart disease and vasculitis, and (3) the crucial role of the immune system in cardiac repair and regeneration. The Immunology of Cardiovascular Homeostasis and Pathology covers all these aspects of cardiovascular immunology, starting with homeostatic immunological functions of traditional cardiovascular cell types, and moving then to the role of the immune system in cardiovascular pathology and to recent research into targeting the immune system to boost cardiac healing and regeneration.
Paracrine and autocrine regulation of cardiac function by "endothelial" mediators is becoming important both physiologically and pathophysiologically. This volume brings the researcher completely up to date with all aspects of endothelial regulation and cardiac function. Acknowledged experts in each field have contributed, making this work indispensable for researchers and of great interest to the clinical cardiologist. The Endothelial Cell Research Series publishes significant reviews by experts in the field. The individual volumes provide invaluable guides to researchers studying endothelial cells and are effective reference texts for anyone working in the general areas of vascular biology and neurotransmission. Endothelium was originally considered to be an inert lining for the blood vessels, but during the last fifteen years, this view has had to be completely revised. It is now accepted that the endothelium plays an important role in many diverse functions. This volume concentrates on the effect of the endothelium on cardiac function. It has been widely demonstrated that the endothelium exerts a paracrine influence on contraction of adjacent cardiac muscle through the release of several mediators, such as endothelin and nitric oxide. Recent studies also show that the effects of such mediators upon the heart are not limited to contraction alone.
This well-structured textbook offers essential knowledge on the vascular system. The reader will learn the properties, basic cellular mechanisms and development of the different parts of the vascular system (including the heart), gain knowledge on vascular and related diseases, and will be made familiar with common and most current methods and techniques applied to analyze the vascular system in patients, in animal models, and ex vivo. This book is based on a PhD Course for students from various bioscientific backgrounds given at the Medical University of Vienna, and it will be a valuable resource for Master ́s Students in vascular biology and biomedicine in general and a helpful tool for young researchers world-wide wishing to gain or refresh their knowledge in this field.
Research centering on blood flow in the heart continues to hold an important position, especially since a better understanding of the subject may help reduce the incidence of coronary arterial disease and heart attacks. This book summarizes recent advances in the field; it is the product of fruitful cooperation among international scientists who met in Japan in May, 1990 to discuss the regulation of coronary blood flow.
In the past two decades a number of studies have shown that abnormalities in the function and structure of coronary microcirculation can be detected in several cardiovascular diseases. On the basis of the clinical setting in which it occurs, coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) can be classified into four types: CMD in the absence of any other cardiac disease; CMD in myocardial diseases; CMD in obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease; and iatrogenic CMD. In some instances CMD represents an epiphenomenon, whereas in others it represents an important marker of risk or may contribute to the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia, thus becoming a possible therapeutic target. This book provides an update on coronary physiology and a systematic assessment of microvascular abnormalities in cardiovascular diseases, in the hope that it will assist clinicians in prevention, detection and management of CMD in their everyday activity.
One of the most time-consuming tasks in clinical medicine is seeking the opinions of specialist colleagues. There is a pressure not only to make referrals appropriate but also to summarize the case in the language of the specialist. This book explains basic physiologic and pathophysiologic mechanisms of cardiovascular disease in a straightforward manner, gives guidelines as to when referral is appropriate, and, uniquely, explains what the specialist is likely to do. It is ideal for any hospital doctor, generalist, or even senior medical student who may need a cardiology opinion, or for that ma.
