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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
Isolation of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells and Their Use in the Study of Neutrophil Transmigration Under Flow Conditions
Published on: August 8, 2012
Steady and disturbed flow effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vascular system: an
Nurullah Arslan1, Sevim Isik, Ozge Uykan
1Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey. narslan@fatih.edu.tr
Insights
Endothelial cells (ECs) change shape and align in response to blood flow. Atherosclerosis risk is linked to how these cells react to steady versus disturbed flow conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Coronary artery disease remains a leading global cause of death.
- Endothelial cells (ECs) form the inner lining of blood vessels and are crucial for vascular health.
- Endothelial cell dysfunction is implicated in atherosclerosis, particularly in response to mechanical forces like blood flow.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morphological responses of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to different blood flow conditions.
- To understand how steady and disturbed flow patterns influence endothelial cell behavior and morphology.
Main Methods:
- HUVECs were exposed to steady flow (1000 cm³/min for 24 hours).
- HUVECs were subjected to disturbed flow simulating arterial branching (250 cm³/min for 5 hours).
- Morphological changes and cell alignment were analyzed under microscopy.
Main Results:
- Steady flow induced directional alignment of HUVECs.
- Disturbed flow resulted in cell movement at stagnation points and a polygonal cell shape downstream.
- Significant morphological changes were observed in response to varying flow conditions.
Conclusions:
- Endothelial cell morphology is sensitive to the nature of blood flow (steady vs. disturbed).
- Specific flow patterns, like those found in arterial bifurcations, induce distinct cellular responses.
- Understanding these mechanobiological responses is key to comprehending atherosclerosis development.
Abstract:
Coronary artery disease is still one of the most important reasons of the death in the world. The endothelium is the membrane of special cells which lines the interior surface of blood vessels forming an interface between circulating blood in the lumen and the rest of the vessel wall. Endothelial cells (ECs) line the entire circulatory system, from the heart to the smallest capillary. ECs dysfunction has been linked with atherosclerosis through their response to fluid forces. ECs change their morphology when exposed to mechanical stresses. The morphological responses include reorientation, elongation, and rearrangement of adhering molecules. Atherosclerotic lesions are formed in specific arterial regions, where low and oscillatory endothelial shear stress (ESS) occur. In this study, the effects of steady and disturbed flow over human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) at different flow rates and periods were determined. Steady flow experiments were performed at flow rate of 1000 cm3/min for twenty four hours. Disturbed flow experiments simulating the flow in branching regions of arterial systems were carried out at flow rates of 250 cm3/min for five hours. The results obtained testified to the morphological changes easily observed. The directional alignment of the cells was determined in the steady flow experiments. Under disturbed flow conditions we observed not only the cell movement at the stagnation point but also the polygonal cell shape downstream the flow field.
