Long COVID Atlas › Glossary › Endothelium
AnatomyEndothelium
https://longcovidatlas.org/glossary/endothelium
In plain language
What it is
The thin, living layer of cells lining the inside of every blood vessel you have.
Why it matters
It is a body-wide control system for blood flow, so when it stops working the effects show up in many organs at once.
Think of it like
Think of every vessel as a hose whose inner surface is a smart coating that can widen it, tighten it, keep flow smooth, and stop leaks.
For specialists
Formal definition
A single-cell-thick monolayer of endothelial cells lining the lumen of all blood and lymphatic vessels, regulating vasomotor tone, hemostasis, permeability, and leukocyte trafficking.
Mechanism
Endothelial cells release nitric oxide and other mediators to balance vasodilation and vasoconstriction, present anticoagulant surfaces, and gate paracellular and transcellular transport.
Sources
- Endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19: evidence, biomarkers, mechanisms (review) free full text ›