How to prevent leaky vessels during reperfusion? Just keep that glycocalyx sealant in place!
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Correspondence: Jurgen WGE VanTeeffelen J.vanTeeffelen@FYS.unimaas.nl
Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, UNS 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands
Critical Care 2008, 12:167 doi:10.1186/cc6939
Published: 15 July 2008Abstract
Myocardial edema is a hallmark of ischemia-reperfusion-related cardiac injury. Ischemia-reperfusion has been shown to result in degradation of the endothelial glycocalyx. The glycocalyx is the gel-like mesh of polysaccharide structures and absorped plasma proteins on the luminal side of the vasculature, and in the past decade has been shown to play an important role in protection of the vessel wall, including its barrier properties. Prevention of glycocalyx loss or restoration of a damaged glycocalyx may be a promising therapeutic target during clinical procedures involving ischemia-reperfusion.