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The largest organ in the body is
comprised of the miles of single-layer endothelial cells that line the
entire arterial vascular system of the body. There is overwhelming evidence
that dysfunction of the endothelial cells initiates vascular disease,
including atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It is known that
almost all of the known cardiovascular risk factors can cause endothelial
dysfunction. If endothelial dysfunction could be prevented, it would go
a long way to preventing the most common killer in America today - heart
disease. When the endothelial cells are damaged and become dysfunctional,
they contract, leaving larger spaces between the endothelial cells, thereby
allowing harmful substances in the blood (like LDL cholesterol) to get
into the arterial wall and begin the process of atherosclerosis. One of
our researchers is studying this phenomenon and has found that the cell's
cyto-skeleton, or scaffolding, collapses, and that nitric oxide can rebuild
the scaffolding of the endothelial cells. |
