Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.
Microcirculation. 2013 Nov;20(8):679-92. doi: 10.1111/micc.12068.
Arterioles, capillaries, and venules all actively change their cellular functions and phenotypes during inflammation in ways that are essential for maintenance of homeostasis and self-defense, and are also associated with many inflammatory disorders. ECs, together with pericytes and ECM proteins, can regulate blood flow, the coagulation cascade, fluid and solute exchange, and leukocyte trafficking. While capillary and venular functions in inflammation are well characterized, the arteriolar contribution to inflammation has only recently come into focus. Arterioles differ from venules in structure, EC morphology, shear environment, expression, and distribution of surface ligands; hence, regulation and function of arteriolar wall cells during inflammation may also be distinct from venules. Recent work indicates that in response to proinflammatory stimuli, arterioles alter barrier function, and support leukocyte and platelet interactions through upregulation of adhesion molecules. This suggests that in addition to their role in blood flow regulation, arterioles may also participate in inflammatory responses. In this review, we will discuss mechanisms that characterize arteriolar responses to proinflammatory stimuli. We will detail how distinct arteriolar features contribute to regulation of barrier function and leukocyte-EC interactions in inflammation, and further highlight the potential priming effects of arteriolar responses on venular function and progression of inflammatory responses.
小动脉、毛细血管和微静脉在炎症过程中都会积极改变其细胞功能和表型，这些改变对于维持体内平衡和自我防御至关重要，同时也与许多炎症性疾病有关。内皮细胞（ECs）与周细胞和细胞外基质（ECM）蛋白一起，可以调节血流、凝血级联反应、流体和溶质交换以及白细胞迁移。虽然毛细血管和微静脉在炎症中的功能已经得到很好的描述，但小动脉在炎症中的作用直到最近才受到关注。小动脉在结构、EC 形态、切变环境、表面配体的表达和分布上与微静脉不同；因此，炎症中小动脉壁细胞的调节和功能也可能与微静脉不同。最近的研究表明，小动脉对促炎刺激的反应会改变屏障功能，并通过上调黏附分子来支持白细胞和血小板的相互作用。这表明，除了在血流调节中的作用外，小动脉也可能参与炎症反应。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论小动脉对促炎刺激反应的特征机制。我们将详细介绍小动脉的独特特征如何有助于调节炎症中的屏障功能和白细胞-EC 相互作用，并进一步强调小动脉反应对微静脉功能和炎症反应进展的潜在启动作用。
