Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction

Abstract

Endothelial dysfunction is a pathology that appears early before any morphological vascular alteration could be detected. Endothelial dysfunction has been defined as a reduction in the endothelium and nitric oxide (NO)-dependente vasorelaxation response. The mechanisms involved in the genesis and development of endothelial dysfunction have not defined at all. In the present work, we have reviewer same of the main studied mechanisms associated with endothelial dysfunction. In this regard, it is well known that the existence of endothelial dysfunction provoked the activation of platelets although less is known if platelets by themselves could be also involved in the genesis and progression of endothelial dysfunction.