Spatial variations in endothelial barrier function in disturbed flows in vitro

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180 Hindered barrier function has been implicated in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, a disease of focal nature associated with altered hemodynamics. In this study, endothelial permeability to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology 2000-02, Vol.278 (2), p.H469-H476
Main Authors: Phelps, Jeffrey E, DePaola, Natacha
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Aorta - cytology
Aorta - physiology
Biological Transport - physiology
Capillary Permeability - physiology
Cattle
Cells, Cultured
Dextrans - pharmacokinetics
Electric Impedance
Endothelium, Vascular - cytology
Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism
Endothelium, Vascular - physiology
Macromolecular Substances
Models, Cardiovascular
Regional Blood Flow - physiology
Space life sciences
Stress, Mechanical
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Summary:Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180 Hindered barrier function has been implicated in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, a disease of focal nature associated with altered hemodynamics. In this study, endothelial permeability to macromolecules and endothelial electrical resistance were investigated in vitro in monolayers exposed to disturbed flow fields that model spatial variations in fluid shear stress found at arterial bifurcations. After 5 h of flow, areas of high shear stress gradients showed a 5.5-fold increase in transendothelial transport of dextran (molecular weight 70,000) compared with no-flow controls. Areas of undisturbed fully developed flow, within the same monolayer, showed a 2.9-fold increase. Monolayer electrical resistance decreased with exposure to flow. The resistance measured during flow and the rate of change in monolayer resistance after removal of flow were lowest in the vicinity of flow reattachment (highest shear stress gradients). These results demonstrate that endothelial barrier function and permeability to macromolecules are regulated by spatial variations in shear stress forces in vitro. endothelial permeability; electrical impedance; atherosclerosis; intercellular gaps
ISSN:0363-6135
1522-1539
DOI:10.1152/ajpheart.2000.278.2.h469