AJP - Heart Journal of Applied Physiology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol (August 7, 2003). doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00117.2003
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
285/6/H2848    most recent
00117.2003v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by van Haaren, P. M. A.
Right arrow Articles by Spaan, J. A. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by van Haaren, P. M. A.
Right arrow Articles by Spaan, J. A. E.
Submitted on February 6, 2003
Accepted on July 30, 2003

Localization of the permeability barrier to solutes in isolated arteries by confocal microscopy

Paul M. A. van Haaren1, Ed VanBavel1, Hans Vink1, and Jos A. E. Spaan1*

1 Department of Medical Physics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: j.a.spaan{at}amc.uva.nl.

Endothelial cells are covered by a surface layer of membrane associated proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins, glycolipids, and associated plasma proteins. This layer may limit transendothelial solute transport. We determined dimension and transport properties of this endothelial surface layer in isolated arteries. Rat mesenteric small arteries (d~150 µm) were isolated and cannulated with a double-barreled {theta}-pipet on the inlet side and a regular pipet on the outlet side. Dynamics and localization of intra-arterial fluorescence by fluorescein-isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextrans (FITC-{Delta}s) and the endothelial membrane dye DiI were determined with confocal microscopy. Large FITC-{Delta} (148 kD) filled a core volume inside the arteries within 1 minute, but was excluded from a 2.6 ± 0.5 µm wide region on the luminal side of the endothelium during 30 minutes of dye perfusion. Medium-sized FITC-{Delta} (50.7 kD) slowly penetrated this endothelial surface layer (ESL) within 30 minutes but did not permeate into the arterial wall. Small FITC-{Delta} (4.4 kD) quickly passed the ESL and accumulated in the arterial wall. Prolonged luminal fluorochrome illumination with a bright mercury lamp destroyed the ~3 µm exclusion zone for FITC-{Delta}148 within a few minutes. This study demonstrates the presence of a thick endothelial surface layer that contributes to the permeability barrier to solutes. The layer is sensitive to phototoxic stress and its damage could form an early event in atherosclerosis.







HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Visit Other APS Journals Online
Copyright © 1976 by the American Physiological Society.