Inflammation is body’s natural process of removing harmful stimuli and begin the healing process. Endothelial cells have been found to function as key modulators of the inflammatory processes. Consequently, dysfunction in endothelial cells can result in implications to inflammatory processes as well. Inflammation has also been linked to many disease areas including cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, autoimmune, diabetes to name a few. Therefore, primary endothelial cells become crucial components supporting research in many disease areas.
According to an article by NatureReviews, microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC) regulate and are active participants in inflammatory processes at a site of inflammation. The properties of endothelial cells change from acute to chronic inflammation and from innate to adaptive immunity. The article concludes that since inflammatory processes and endothelial cells are correlated, many anti-inflammatory therapies influence the behavior of endothelial cells and vascular therapeutics influence inflammation.