Endothelial dysfunction and cirrhosis of the liver
Journal Title: Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής - Year 2014, Vol 31, Issue 2
Abstract
Cirrhosis of the liver is a chronic liver disease characterized by diffuse fibrosis and distortion of the normal nodular architecture of the organ. The pathogenesis of fibrosis in hepatic cirrhosis remains, to a great extent, obscure. The presence of highly vascularized fibrous tissue surrounding the regenerative hepatic nodules suggests that both angiogenic and inflammatory factors are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Hepatic stellate cells, which are activated by hypoxia, and a variety of chemokines and cytokines appear to be the key cells at the "crossroads" of communication between angiogenesis, inflammation and fibrosis. Strategically positioned between hepatic and endothelial cells, they are the target and also the source of angiogenic factors and cytokines, and they can finely orchestrate the processes of fibrosis, angiogenesis and inflammation. The endothelium, an organ with great heterogeneity in structure and function and a variety of physiological properties, is involved in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis. Endothelial dysfunction is involved in angiogenesis and inflammation and recently the endothelium has also been linked to the hypercoagulability in cirrhosis which promotes fibrogenesis. This is a review of current concepts of the pathogenesis of cirrhosis and potential for reversal. Endothelial junctions, namely regions of the endothelium with complex structure expressing activation, which had not so far been studied in cirrhosis, are also described.
Authors and Affiliations
E. NOMIKOU, S. DOURAKIS
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP94001
- DOI -
- Views 69
- Downloads 0
ACUTE MONOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA-LEUKEMIA CUTIS
A 72-year-old man was evaluated for mild anemia in our Hematology Outpatient Department. Bone marrow morphology was diagnostic of MDS; the French-American-British (FAB) type was refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts...
Perirectal abscess (rectal injury, caused by foreign body
No abstract available
Statistical methods of data analysis
Measures of association are the object of epidemiologic studies and are used to quantify the relation between the determinant under study and the outcome, while statistical significance tests are used to identify statist...
5q-syndrome
A 67-year-old woman was admitted to our department due to intense dyspnoea, fatigue, dizziness and leg cramps. Her past medical history included hypertension and diabetes mellitus, while her family history was unremarkab...
The link between obesity and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
OBJECTIVE Fat deposition in the abdominal, thoracic and neck distribution pattern has been correlated with the severity of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The aim of this study was to explore the possible li...