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Kwang Kon Koh, Effects of estrogen on the vascular wall: vasomotor function and inflammation, Cardiovascular Research, Volume 55, Issue 4, September 2002, Pages 714–726, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-6363(02)00487-X
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Extract
Time for primary review 33 days.
1 Introduction
Far from being only an anatomic barrier to prevent the influx of circulating blood into the vessel wall, the endothelium is a metabolically active organ system that maintains vascular homeostasis. The endothelium modulates vascular tone, regulates local cellular growth and the deposition of the extracellular matrix, protects the vessel from the potentially harmful consequences of substances and cells circulating in the blood, and mediates the hemostatic, inflammatory, and reparative responses to local injury. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by the endothelium plays a pivotal role in maintaining vascular health and protecting against vascular injury.
Conditions such as hypercholesterolemia [1], systemic hypertension [1], and estrogen deficiency [2] have been associated with impaired functions of the endothelium. As a result of impairment, the vessel wall may promote inflammation, oxidation of lipoproteins, smooth muscle cell proliferation, extracellular matrix deposition or lysis, accumulation of lipid-rich material, the activation of platelets (which promote clotting), and thrombus formation. All of these consequences of endothelial dysfunction may contribute to the development and clinical expression of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease [3,4].
