title: [Mechanisms of vascular dynamic homeostasis.]
abstract: Vascular endothelial cells(ECs)play a critical role in controlling a variety of vascular functions including maintenance of the vascular tone, blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, and selective permeability of proteins. It has recently become apparent that ECs respond to hemodynamic forces, namely, shear stress and stretch, by altering their morphology, functions and gene expression profile. These responses also play important roles in maintaining normal circulatory system functions and homeostasis, and their impairment leads to various vascular diseases, including hypertension, aneurysm and atherosclerosis. The mechanisms underlying the mechanotransduction, however, are not yet clearly understood. In this article, we review the literature on the EC responses to mechanical forces and their roles in the regulation of the circulatory system, while also discussing the mechanosensing mechanisms of ECs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: Joji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ando
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate