title: Role of the endothelial actin filament cytoskeleton in rheology and permeability.
abstract: We have provided evidence for the existence of two distinct sets of actin filaments in endothelial cells, the stress fibers, and the peripheral filament band. Both sets of actin filaments also contain myosin, alpha-actinin, and other associated proteins of the contractile apparatus in muscle. We have shown that both systems of actin filaments in endothelial cells can contract. Stress fibers probably serve to prevent the endothelium from hydrodynamic injury and detachment, whereas the peripheral band of actin filaments appears to be important for the regulation of certain aspects of endothelial permeability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Marburg, FRG.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schnittler
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drenckhahn
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology; D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000502:physiology; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000502:physiology*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009218:Myosins / Q000502:physiology; D012212:Rheology; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002147:Calmodulin; D009218:Myosins; D002118:Calcium