title: The many faces of endothelial microparticles.
abstract: Endothelial microparticles (EMP) are complex vesicular structures shed from activated or apoptotic endothelial cells. They play a remarkable role in coagulation, inflammation, endothelial function, and angiogenesis and thus disturb the vascular homeostasis, contributing to the progression of vascular diseases. As a cause or a consequence, elevated levels of EMP were found in plasma from patients with vascular diseases, where they serve as a surrogate marker of endothelial function. More recent data challenged the presumed deleterious role of EMP because they could promote cell survival, exert antiinflammatory effects, counteract coagulation processes, or induce endothelial regeneration. This review focuses on the ambivalent role of EMP in vascular homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: INSERM UMR-970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, 56 rue Leblanc, 75373 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dignat-George
authors.forename: Chantal M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Boulanger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055354:Exosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators