Effects of Pathological Flow on Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Production of Vasoactive Mediators and Growth Factors

Alterations in pulmonary blood flow are often associated with the initiation and progression of pulmonary vascular disease. However, the cellular mechanisms involved in mediating flow effects in the pulmonary circulation remain unclear. Depending on the disease condition, flow may be extremely low or high. We therefore examined effects of pathologically low and high flow on endothelial production of factors capable of affecting pulmonary vascular tone and structure as well as on potential underlying mechanisms.