endocardial endothelial cellendothelial cell of endocardium
Definitions
An endothelial cell that lines the intracavitary lumen of the heart, separating the circulating blood from the underlying myocardium. This cell type releases a number of vasoactive substances including prostacyclin, nitrous oxide and endothelin.
Raw data
dct:description
Endocardial cells, often referred to as endothelial cells of the heart, constitute the innermost lining layer of the heart tissues, forming the endocardium. They play a critical role in maintaining heart functionality and homeostasis. These cells, flat and squamous in structure, are adjoined closely to form a tight barrier that separates the heart's muscular layer, the myocardium, from the blood flowing through the heart chambers.
Functionally, endocardial cells are key players in several crucial physiological processes within the heart. Synthesizing matrix molecules that contribute to the structural formation of the heart, these cells actively partake in maintaining its structural integrity. They also exhibit unique metabolic activity, which aids in maintaining optimal cardiac functioning in both healthy and pathological conditions. Importantly, they are known for their involvement in modulating myocardial contraction and relaxation, that is crucial for normal heart rhythm and function. They achieve this by producing factors like nitric oxide (NO) which, amongst other things, aids in the regulation of blood pressure, prevents blood clotting and inhibits the adherence of blood cells to the vessel wall.
In pathological states, endocardial cells can undergo a transformation process known as endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), which is inherently involved in several cardiac diseases. In this transition, they acquire the ability to migrate and differentiate into several other types of cells contributing to disease progression. Moreover, their dysfunction can lead to endocarditis, an inflammation of the endocardium, as well as increase the risk of other heart diseases.
(This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.)
An endothelial cell that lines the intracavitary lumen of the heart, separating the circulating blood from the underlying myocardium. This cell type releases a number of vasoactive substances including prostacyclin, nitrous oxide and endothelin.
