title: Central role of eNOS in the maintenance of endothelial homeostasis.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Disruption of endothelial function is considered a key event in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a central regulator of cellular function that is important to maintain endothelial homeostasis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Endothelial homeostasis encompasses acute responses such as adaption of flow to tissue's demand and more sustained responses to injury such as re-endothelialization and sprouting of endothelial cells (ECs) and attraction of circulating angiogenic cells (CAC), both of which support repair of damaged endothelium. The balance and the intensity of endothelial damage and repair might be reflected by changes in circulating endothelial microparticles (EMP) and CAC. Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) is a generally accepted clinical read-out of NO-dependent vasodilation, whereas EMP are upcoming prognostically validated markers of endothelial injury and CAC are reflective of the regenerative capacity with both expressing a functional eNOS. These markers can be integrated in a clinical endothelial phenotype, reflecting the net result between damage from risk factors and endogenous repair capacity with NO representing a central signaling molecule.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvements of reproducibility and observer independence of FMD measurements and definitions of relevant EMP and CAC subpopulations warrant further research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endothelial homeostasis may be a clinical therapeutic target for cardiovascular health maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Duesseldorf , Duesseldorf, Germany .
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heiss
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Mateos
authors.forename: Malte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kelm
mesh_terms: D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III