Endothelial cells in health and disease

According to the World Health Organization, from 2014, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the number one cause of death worldwide. One of the key players in maintaining proper cardiovascular function is the endothelium, the inner layer of all blood vessels. This monolayer of cells on one hand serves as a barrier between blood and the surrounding tissue and on the other hand regulates many aspects of vessel function. Therefore, it is not surprising that interventions reducing the risk for CVD improve endothelial function. There is a clear correlation between endothelial dysfunction, in which the endothelial homeostasis is disturbed, and the development and progression of many CVD. Thus, the development of diagnostic tools for early detection of disturbances in endothelial homeostasis or interventions aimed at improving endothelial function after insults require a comprehensive knowledge not only of the cellular reactions to the positive or negative stimuli but also of the molecular mechanisms relaying these responses. Thus, this Forum on "endothelial cells in health and disease" focuses on key molecules and processes intimately involved in endothelial cell function and covers areas from endothelial nitric oxide synthase-dependent processes, over the group of Phox-Bem1 domain proteins, cytochrome P450 epoxygenase-derived metabolites, and pre-mRNA splicing to microRNAs. Finally, one has to conclude that keeping endothelial homeostasis is the central key for a healthy long life of the human individual.