Cannon, Christopher P., Armani, Annemarie M., Foody, Joanne Micale, Lieberman, Eric H., Garces, Margarita R., and Lopez-Jimenez, Francisco
When William Harvey described the circulatory system in 1628, it was believed that the endothelium was an inert organ whose mere function was to line the arteries. Extensive research, however, has demonstrated that the endothelium is one of the most sophisticated organs in the system, playing a substantial role in the homeostasis of the circulatory system (1). The endothelium serves as one of the largest paracrine organs in the body by playing a pivotal role in the regulation of such important tasks as vascular growth, vascular tone, and hemostasis. Additionally, the endothelium maintains the balance between opposing states: vasodilation vs vasoconstriction, growth promotion vs inhibition, antithrombosis vs fibrinolysis, antioxidation vs oxidation, and anti-inflammation vs proinflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]