ABSTRACT
The mammalian cytoskeleton plays an essential role in providing the mechanical support necessary to maintain cell shape, cell motility and movement and in signaling transducing functions. The key cytoskeletal components are three inter-communicating networking protein fi laments: actin microfi laments, microtubules, and intermediate fi laments. Endothelial cells comprise the lining of the inner vessel wall and display a highly dynamic regulation of vascular integrity via opening and closing of paracellular gaps in response to infi ltrating cells, ischemia or infl ammatory processes (Dudek and Garcia 2001). As endothelial cells have direct contact with circulating blood cells and lymphatic fl uid, the cytoskeleton plays a critical role in mechanotransduction, angiogenesis and apoptosis and in the vascular response to infl ammation, serving as the major regulator of the endothelial “gate-keeper” function via effects on paracellular gap
1Institute for Personalized Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. 2Earl Bane Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology & Bioengineering, Chicago, IL 60612. Email: jggarcia@uic.edu *Corresponding author
regulation, leukocyte diapedesis and barrier regulation (Dudek and Garcia 2001, Garcia et al. 1986, Hirata et al. 1995, Majno and Palade 1961).
