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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
07:03
An in vivo Assay to Test Blood Vessel Permeability
Published on: March 16, 2013
Regulation of endothelial junctional permeability
Emily Vandenbroucke1, Dolly Mehta, Richard Minshall
1Department of Pharmacology and Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illonois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|April 1, 2008
Summary
The endothelium
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Cellular Physiology
Background:
- The endothelium forms a semi-permeable barrier regulating transport between blood and tissues.
- Endothelial barrier permeability is dynamic and influenced by various stimuli.
- Transport occurs via transcellular or paracellular pathways; this review focuses on the latter.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the mechanisms regulating the paracellular pathway of endothelial transport.
- To elucidate the role of interendothelial junctions and the actin cytoskeleton.
- To describe signaling pathways and mediators affecting endothelial permeability.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on endothelial barrier function.
- Analysis of signaling cascades involving calcium, MLCK, and Rho GTPases.
- Discussion of junctional regulation by cytoskeletal dynamics.
Main Results:
- Paracellular permeability is controlled by tight and adherens junctions.
- Actin cytoskeleton remodeling influences junctional integrity.
- Signaling pathways activated by mediators like thrombin, TNF-alpha, and LPS modulate permeability.
- Specific agents like sphingosine-1-phosphate and cAMP can stabilize the endothelial barrier.
Conclusions:
- Endothelial paracellular permeability is a tightly regulated process involving complex signaling networks.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for targeting vascular barrier dysfunction.
- Modulation of interendothelial junctions offers therapeutic potential for controlling vascular leakage.
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