Molecular Biology Of The Arterial Wall

The outstanding contributions to this volume are designed to shed light on some fields of cell biology and cellular pathology, including newly observed phenomena of cell-cell interactions, which might be applicable in studying the pathological process of atherosclerosis. The topics included cover: lipoproteins and lipoprotein receptors; growth factors; endocytosis and exocytosis; ONC Genes and proliferative disease; white blood cells; prostaglandins and leukotrienes; and the biology of smooth muscle and endothelium. The volume provides a complete summary of the most important developments in the field with great impact for arteriosclerosis research.

Biology of the Arterial Wall is intended as a general reference text concerned with the biology of the vascular cells and the blood vessel wall under physiological and pathological conditions. One of the major functions of the arteries is to maintain a continuous blood flow to the organs whatever the pressure conditions, thanks to the vasomotor tone of the smooth muscle cells. Great advances have been made over the last decade in the understanding of the endothelial cells as integrators and transducers of signals originating from the blood stream. The pluripotent control functions of the endothelial cells in the vessel wall are now well recognized. A review of endothelial functions and dysfunctions is presented. Cell biology and molecular genetic studies have now identified an array of molecules elaborated by endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells and by the blood-borne elements which interact with artery cells, defending the artery against injury and modulating evolving abnormal processes. Molecules which induce or inhibit endothelial and/or smooth muscle cells are currently under great scrutiny. Angiogenesis, which plays a major role in tumor growth, but may also be beneficial as a healing process in muscle ischemia, is discussed. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, has only recently been recognized as an essential process in blood vessel modeling and remodeling. An overview of apoptosis in the vascular system is presented. It is increasingly evident that the adjustments of the blood vessel wall are made in the presence of deforming disease processes such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. The second part of the book is concerned with the blood vessel wall in disease conditions. Several chapters review the role of the vessel and vascular cells in inflammation, and vascular remodeling during arterial hypertension and aging. One chapter is devoted to atherogenesis, atheroma and plaque instability, followed by the pathophysiology of post-angioplasty restenosis, which is a crucial issue in modern interventional cardiology.

This volume contains the papers which were presented at the First Altschul Symposium, Atherosclerosis: Cellular and Molecular Interactions in the Artery Wall. The symposium was held in Saskatoon, at the University of Saskatchewan in May 1990 in memory of Dr. Rudolph Altschul, a pioneer in the field of vascular biology and the prevention of atherosclerosis. Dr. Altschul was Professor and Head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Saskatchewan from 1955 to 1963. The challenge for biomedical scientists is to unravel the multifactorial etiology of atherosclerosis. For the last hundred and sixty years, anatomical pathologists have carefully studied the morphological changes of the human vascular wall during the initiation and evolution of the fibrofatty atherosclerotic plaque. Based on these elegant morphological observations, theories on atherogenesis were put forth by pathologists in the 1840's. Rudolf Virchow suggested that the movement of substances from the blood into the vessel wall was important for atherogenesis while Carl von Rokitansky felt that the deposition of substances on the lumenal surface of the artery resulted in the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. Since these original theories, it has become apparent that the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is multifactorial and the disease evolves in stages. It is also likely that not all plaques arise through the same sequence of events and that many steps are involved in the development of each plaque. Today, our understanding of the complicated processes of atherogenesis is still incomplete.

International experts review the molecular biology of ion channels, diseases of the central nervous system including Alzheimer's disease, the molecular biology of atherogenesis, plasma lipproteins, lipid transport, long chain fatty acid transport and metabolism, and lipoprotein receptors. Future directions and perspectives and common features in these important areas are discussed.

This text combines extensive coverage of normal structure and function of the arterial wall with detailed accounts of the changes that occur in disease. These data are presented in a comprehensive way not found elsewhere; they are essential for the proper understanding of arterial disease and for its investigation using modern methodology. Development and the factors controlling vessel form and structure are first discussed; and the normal cellular populations, functions and interactions are then considered. Particular topics, such as pulmonary hypertension, the effects of trauma on vessels, and diabetic vascular disease, are reviewed in detail. This book will be of interest to all involved in the management of vascular disease.

Cellular and Molecular Pathobiology of Cardiovascular Disease focuses on the pathophysiology of common cardiovascular disease in the context of its underlying mechanisms and molecular biology. This book has been developed from the editors' experiences teaching an advanced cardiovascular pathology course for PhD trainees in the biomedical sciences, and trainees in cardiology, pathology, public health, and veterinary medicine. No other single text-reference combines clinical cardiology and cardiovascular pathology with enough molecular content for graduate students in both biomedical research and clinical departments. The text is complemented and supported by a rich variety of photomicrographs, diagrams of molecular relationships, and tables. It is uniquely useful to a wide audience of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in areas from pathology to physiology, genetics, pharmacology, and more, as well as medical residents in pathology, laboratory medicine, internal medicine, cardiovascular surgery, and cardiology. Explains how to identify cardiovascular pathologies and compare with normal physiology to aid research Gives concise explanations of key issues and background reading suggestions Covers molecular bases of diseases for better understanding of molecular events that precede or accompany the development of pathology