The endothelial surface layer

A. R. Pries, T. W. Secomb, P. Gaehtgens

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

738 Scopus citations

Abstract

The endothelial lining of blood vessels presents a large surface area for exchange of materials between blood and tissues, and is critically involved in many other processes such as regulation of blood flow, inflammatory responses and blood coagulation. It has long been known that the luminal surface of the endothelium is lined with a glycocalyx, a layer of membrane-bound macromolecules which has been determined by electron microscopy to be several tens of nanometers thick. However, investigations in vivo have indicated the presence of a much thicker endothelial surface layer (ESL), with an estimated thickness ranging from 0.5 μm to over 1 μm, that restricts the flow of plasma and can exclude red blood cells and some macromolecular solutes. The evidence for the existence of the ESL, hypotheses about its composition and biophysical properties, its relevance to physiological processes, and its possible clinical implications are considered in this review.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)653-666
Number of pages14
JournalPflugers Archiv European Journal of Physiology
Volume440
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000

Keywords

  • Biophysical properties
  • Endothelial surface layer
  • Fluid and solute exchange

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Physiology (medical)

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