OBJECTIVE: Summary of the current knowledge of the role of endotelial activation markers in the pathogenesis of the selected diseases and high-risk pregnancy. DESIGN: Review article. METHODS: Compilation of the published data from scientific literature. CONCLUSIONS: The endothelium functions in a multitude of physiological processes including the control of cellular trafficking, the regulation of vasomotor tone and maintenance of blood fluidity. Preeclampsia is compared by the the insufficient trofoblastic invasion to the maternal spiral arteries. This changes lead to the insufficiency of the fetoplacental blood flow. The ischaemia of the fetoplacental unit cause the release of specific factors into maternal vessels and subsequent activation of the endothelium and vasoconstriction. We present a short summary of the clinically important endothelial markers and current possibilities of laboratory testing.
OBJECTIVE: Summary of the current knowledge of the role of endotelial activation markers in the pathogenesis of the selected diseases and high-risk pregnancy. DESIGN: Review article. METHODS: Compilation of the published data from scientific literature. CONCLUSIONS: The endothelium functions in a multitude of physiological processes including the control of cellular trafficking, the regulation of vasomotor tone and maintenance of blood fluidity. Preeclampsia is compared by the the insufficient trofoblastic invasion to the maternal spiral arteries. This changes lead to the insufficiency of the fetoplacental blood flow. The ischaemia of the fetoplacental unit cause the release of specific factors into maternal vessels and subsequent activation of the endothelium and vasoconstriction. We present a short summary of the clinically important endothelial markers and current possibilities of laboratory testing.