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Differentiation of endothelial cells: Analysis of the constitutive and activated endothelial cell phenotypes
Author(s) -
Augustin Hellmut G.,
Kozian Detlef H.,
Johnson Robert C.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.950161208
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , biology , endothelial stem cell , phenotype , angiogenesis , vascular endothelial growth factor b , population , cytokine , immunology , vascular endothelial growth factor a , cancer research , vascular endothelial growth factor , genetics , gene , in vitro , medicine , environmental health , vegf receptors
Endothelial cells line the inside of all blood vessels, forming a structurally and functionally heterogenous population of cells. Their complexity and diversity has long been recognized, yet very little is known about the molecules and regulatory mechanisms that mediate the heterogeneity of different endothelial cell populations. The constitutive organ‐ and microenvironment‐specific phenotype of endothelial cells controls internal body compartmentation, regulating the trafficking of circulating cells to distinct vascular beds. In contrast, surface molecules associated with the activated cytokine‐inducible endothelial phenotype play a critical role in pathological conditions including inflammation, tumor angiogenesis, and wound healing. Differentiation of the endothelial cell phenotypes appears to follow similar mechanisms to the differentiation of hematopoietic cells, with the exception that endothelial cells maintain transdifferentiating competence. The present review offers a scheme of endothelial cell differentially expressed endothelial cell molecules as targets for directed therapeutic intervention.