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The endothelium (pl.: endothelia) is a single layer of squamous endothelial cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. [1] The endothelium forms an interface between circulating blood or lymph in the lumen and the rest of the vessel wall.
Blood vessels also circulate blood throughout the circulatory system. Oxygen (bound to hemoglobin in red blood cells) is the most critical nutrient carried by the blood. In all arteries apart from the pulmonary artery, hemoglobin is highly saturated (95–100%) with oxygen.
The structure of the tunica intima depends on the blood vessel type. [3] Elastic arteries – A single layer of endothelial and a supporting layer of elastin-rich collagen. The layer also contains fibroblasts, immune cells and smooth muscle cells. [1] Muscular arteries – Endothelial cells Arterioles – A single layer of endothelial cells
Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are endothelial cells that have been shed from the lining of the vascular wall into the blood stream. [1] Endothelial cells normally line blood vessels to maintain vascular integrity and permeability, but when these cells enter into the circulation, this could be a reflection of vascular dysfunction and damage. [2]
Normal blood vessel (left) vs. vasodilation (right) Vasodilation, also known as vasorelaxation, is the widening of blood vessels. [1] It results from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, in particular in the large veins, large arteries, and smaller arterioles. [2]
A capillary is a small blood vessel, from 5 to 10 micrometres in diameter, and is part of the microcirculation system. Capillaries are microvessels and the smallest blood vessels in the body. They are composed of only the tunica intima (the innermost layer of an artery or vein), consisting of a thin wall of simple squamous endothelial cells. [2]
There is small amount of subendothelial connective tissue between basement membrane of endothelial cells and internal elastic lamina. [3] Reduplication of internal elastic lamina can be seen in elderly individuals due to intimal fibroplasia, which is part of the aging process. [4]
Weibel–Palade bodies are the storage granules of endothelial cells, the cells that form the inner lining of the blood vessels and heart. [1] They manufacture, store and release two principal molecules, von Willebrand factor and P-selectin, and thus play a dual role in hemostasis and inflammation.