Endothelial control of cell migration and proliferation

The vascular endothelium was found to be involved in numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes and to act as a gating element in between cellular components of the blood and the adjacent tissue. In this respect, endothelial cells are especially important for the control of the extravasation of immune-competent cells and tumour cells and in tissue remodelling. These processes are guided by a network of intercellular recognition and transduction mechanisms in order to guarantee controlled, selective, target-directed action by extravasating cells and for complete functional remodelling of the adjacent tissue. Prostacyclin seems to play an important part in this endothelium-dependent intercellular crosstalk by modulating cell activation without altering the basal cellular mechanisms, as can be shown using stable prostacyclin mimetics, both in animal models and in cell culture.