Endothelial transcriptome profiles in vivo in complex arterial flow fields.

The endothelium is highly sensitive to flow characteristics and to the accompanying hemodynamic forces particularly shear stresses. Within large arteries, atherosclerotic lesions develop at predictable sites of complicated unsteady hemodynamics where flow separation, transient flow reversals, and average lower shear forces are common characteristics. Gene expression studies (transcript profiles) of the endothelium isolated from arterial regions of different flow characteristics and susceptibility to atherogenesis are presented. Endothelial phenotype characterization in vivo is complementary to mechanistic studies of flow responses in vitro.