Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Regulation and Disease

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

What is the primary function of blood vessels in the body?

To filter waste from the blood

To establish a delivery and exchange system for oxygen and nutrients to tissues (correct)

To produce blood cells

To regulate blood pressure

What is the significance of understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms of blood vessel function?

To develop new treatments for vascular diseases

To understand the cause of death in developing countries

To improve diagnosis and therapeutics development (correct)

All of the above

What is the role of vascular endothelial cells?

To regulate immune responses

To control blood pressure

To regulate vascular barrier function (correct)

To produce blood cells

What is the consequence of blood vessel dysfunction?

People die of dysfunction of blood vessels Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of nitric oxide in vascular function?

To regulate vascular endothelial cell function Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of angiogenic processes?

To regulate neovessel formation in homeostatic and pathologic conditions Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of endothelial NO production in resistance vessels?

Reduced myosin light chain phosphorylation Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of p27kip1 in the context of Rho/ROCK signaling?

Inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated surface area of the endothelium in an adult human body?

The area of 8 tennis courts Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of SERCA in myosin light chain dephosphorylation?

Calcium pumping back into SR Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the mono-cellular layer lining the lumen of all blood vessels and the surfaces of the heart chambers?

Endothelium Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of balloon injury in the rat carotid artery model?

Neointimal formation Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of endothelial cells in response to stimuli such as a wound?

To rapidly proliferate and invade hypoxic and ischemic tissues Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of neovessel formation is driven by endothelial progenitor cells from the bone marrow?

25% Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following signaling pathways is involved in lymphangiogenesis?

VEGF-VEGFRs Signup and view all the answers

What is the leading cause of limb amputation in diabetic patients?

Critical limb ischemia Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of VEGF-A on vascular permeability?

It strongly increases vascular permeability Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions is characterized by diminished angiogenesis and vasculogenesis?

Diabetic foot Signup and view all the answers