Factors inducing codistribution of marginal actin fibers and fibronectin in rat aortic endothelial cells

Rheological techniques were utilized to determine the biological changes that occur in response to the codistribution of marginal actin fibers and subendothelial fibronectin in the endothelial cells of developing rat aorta. Analysis of fetal rat aortic endothelial cells indicated the role of increased tensile force and shear stress in inducing the codistribution of actin fibers and subendothelial fibronectin in developing rat aorta. Furthermore, the actin fibers, subendothelial fibronectin and stress fibers maintained the structural integrity of vascular endothelial cells.