RESUMO
Endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are the most crucial components of the vascular wall, and the interactions between them are essential for the maintenance of normal vascular physiology, as well as the initiation and development of cardiovascular diseases. Various typical co-culture models have been developed to simulate the location and growth situation of ECs and SMCs in vivo. In this review, the co-culture systems combined with the device applying fluid shear stress were introduced with discussion on the strengths and limitations of each system. The influences of ECs-SMCs interaction on the phenotype and alignment of ECs and SMCs, growth and migration of SMCs, and adhesion molecules expression of ECs under shear stress were briefly reviewed. The established evidence indicates that nitric oxide (NO), cytokines and microRNA are the most important signal molecules mediating the interactions between ECs and SMCs.
RESUMO
The aorta is the major blood vessel with spiral shaped geometry where the flow pattern is swirling in late systole. The swirling blood flow may have a positive physiological role in preventing cardiovascular diseases by reducing turbulent flow and enhancing mass transport. Several factors have shown to contribute to the formation of the swirling flow in the aorta such as the ventricular twisting, the 3D spiral shaped aorta, the pulsatile blood flow in the aorta and the motion of ascending aorta. Inspired by the above basic researches, the swirling flow mechanism has been applied to the vascular interventional therapies and the design of cardiovascular interventional devices. In the present review, the observation of swirling patterns in the aorta, its physiological significance, the factors contributing to its formation and its potential clinical application are summarized.