Listening to the endothelium - A story of signal and noise

Sensing myriad physical and chemical stimuli, the endothelium releases numerous messenger molecules that regulate local vasoactivity, inflammation, mitogenesis, and thrombosis (1,2). Nitric oxide (NO) is an important local vasodilating messenger. Blood flow shear releases NO, which underlies the phenomenon of flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Besides vasoregulation, NO has antiatherogenic effects, including inhibition of white cell activation and smooth muscle cell proliferation. The 1998 Nobel Prize for Medicine awarded to Robert Furchgott, Lewis Ignarro, and Ferid Murad acknowledged the significance of endothelial function.