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Imaging Leukocyte Adhesion to the Vascular Endothelium at High Intraluminal Pressure
Published on: August 23, 2011
The caveolar membrane system in endothelium: From cell signaling to vascular pathology
Antonio Filippini1, Gigliola Sica2, Alessio D'Alessio2
1Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Abstract:
Caveolae are 50- to 100-nm cholesterol and glycosphingolipid-rich flask-shaped invaginations commonly observed in many terminally differentiated cells. These organelles have been described in many cell types and are particularly abundant in endothelial cells, where they have been involved in the regulation of certain signaling pathways. Specific scaffolding proteins termed caveolins, along with the more recently discovered members of the cavin family, represent the major protein components during caveolae biogenesis. In addition, multiple studies aimed to investigate the expression and the regulation of these proteins significantly contributed to elucidate the role of caveolae and caveolins in endothelial cell physiology and disease. The aim of this review is to survey recent evidence of the involvement of the caveolar network in endothelial cell biology and endothelial cell dysfunction.
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