The structural stability of the endothelial glycocalyx after enzymatic removal of glycosaminoglycans.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

It is widely believed that glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and bound plasma proteins form an interconnected gel-like structure on the surface of endothelial cells (the endothelial glycocalyx layer-EGL) that is stabilized by the interaction of its components. However, the structural organization of GAGs and proteins and the contribution of individual components to the stability of the EGL are largely unknown.

Objective

To evaluate the hypothesis that the interconnected gel-like glycocalyx would collapse when individual GAG components were almost completely removed by a specific enzyme.

Methods and results

Using confocal microscopy, we observed that the coverage and thickness of heparan sulfate (HS), chondroitin sulfate (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA), and adsorbed album

SUBMITTER: Zeng Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3419189 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature