Vera van de Pol, Kondababu Kurakula, Marco C. DeRuiter, Marie-José Goumans
Abstract
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common type of congenital cardiac malformation. Patients with a BAV have a predisposition for the development of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA). This pathological aortic dilation may result in aortic rupture, which is fatal in most cases. The abnormal aortic morphology of TAAs results from a complex series of events that alter the cellular structure and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition of the aortic wall. Because the major degeneration is located in the media of the aorta, most studies aim to unravel impaired smooth muscle cell (SMC) function in BAV TAA. However, recent studies suggest that endothelial cells play a key role in both the initiation and progression of TAAs by influencing the medial layer. Aortic endothelial cells are activated in BAV mediated TAAs and have a substantial influence on ECM composition and SMC phenotype, by secreting several key growth factors and matrix modulating enzymes. In recent years there have been significant advances in the genetic and molecular understanding of endothelial cells in BAV associated TAAs. In this review, the involvement of the endothelial cells in BAV TAA pathogenesis is discussed. Endothelial cell functioning in vessel homeostasis, flow response and signaling will be highlighted to give an overview of the importance and the under investigated potential of endothelial cells in BAV-associated TAA.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
1
2%
Other
5
10%
Unknown
15
30%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 08 September 2018.
All research outputs
#13,925,200
of 24,286,850 outputs
Outputs from Frontiers in Physiology
#4,521
of 14,897 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#211,781
of 446,095 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Frontiers in Physiology
#111
of 329 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 24,286,850 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 41st percentile – i.e., 41% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 14,897 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.8. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 68% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 446,095 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 51% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 329 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 65% of its contemporaries.
