Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

On-Chip Endothelial Inflammatory Phenotyping
Published on: July 21, 2012
Heterogeneity in endothelial responsiveness to cytokines, molecular causes, and pharmacological consequences
1Department Pathology & Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. g.molema@med.umcg.nl
Abstract:
Microvascular endothelial cells play an essential role in inflammatory diseases. Functional heterogeneity between microvascular segments in normal organ homeostasis has been appreciated for a long time, and more recent studies have revealed heterogeneity in endothelial reactivity to inflammatory stimuli as well. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art knowledge regarding endothelial cell responses to the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1beta, and the bacterial product lipopolysaccharide. It focuses on similarities and differences in reactivity between endothelial cell subsets in vitro and endothelial cells in their pathophysiological environment in vivo, and culminates into a mainly theoretical model of possible intracellular control mechanisms that can assist to ultimately explain the molecular causes of endothelial heterogeneity. The last part of this review contains some pharmacological considerations, and, with the aim to further unravel the molecular basis of in vivo endothelial heterogeneity, descriptions of new techniques that will be essential to achieve this.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses
Graded and Abrupt Responses
Some signaling systems generate...
Pharmacodynamic Responses: Different Types
Drug toxicity: Idiosyncratic Reactions
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...

