ACTIVATION OF ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS IN THROMBOSIS AND VASCULITIS

The endothelium participates actively in homeostatic mechanisms such a s the regulation of vascular tone and maintenance of a non-thrombotic environment, as well as directing biological responses such as leukocy te trafficking to inflammatory sites. Disruption of these processes le ads to disease. In the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome autoantibodi es provoke the endothelium to develop a prothrombotic surface. In syst emic vasculitides associated with presence of antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies, it is likely that the autoantibodies incite premature neu trophil activation, disrupted neutrophil-endothelium interactions and endothelial damage. This review considers how normal endothelial funct ions may be subverted in disease and how active endothelial responses may contribute to disease.