The endothelium is the inner lining of blood vessels. It is important to a range of vital functions performed by the vasculature, from the selective passage of molecules enforced by the blood-brain barrier to the ability of blood vessels to properly contract and dilate. Further, localized damage and inflammation of the endothelium is an early step in the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque. In this paper, researchers focus on the endothelium of the microvasculature, the smallest blood vessels. All of the same issues occur here, and may contribute over time to the decline of microvascular density as the mechanisms needed f…
Endothelial Dysfunction of Microvessels in the Aging of the Vasculature
The endothelium is the inner lining of blood vessels. It is important to a range of vital functions performed by the vasculature, from the selective passage of molecules enforced by the blood-brain barrier to the ability of blood vessels to properly contract and dilate. Further, localized damage and inflammation of the endothelium is an early step in the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque. In this paper, researchers focus on the endothelium of the microvasculature, the smallest blood vessels. All of the same issues occur here, and may contribute over time to the decline of microvascular density as the mechanisms needed f…