The role of endothelium in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases

In connection with the increasing importance of the endothelium in understanding the pathogenesis of vascular diseases, new types of mediators originating in the endothelium are described, such as EDRF and endothelin. The method of endothelial cell cultivation has contributed to their detection. Besides such analytical methods, a more global in vivo aspect of endothelial function is dealt with by the method of counting circulating endothelial cell carcasses in blood applicable also clinically. The increase of endothelaemia goes hand in hand with both the tendency to thrombosis and increased permeability. Similarly, the main atherosclerotic risk factors, smoking, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia could be effective by producing an endothelial perturbation as indicated by increased endothelaemia.