Wall shear stress in the human eye microcirculation and blood brain barrier models

What is it about?

Wall shear stress (WSS) is a very important hemodynamic parameter implicated in many physiological and pathological phenomena. Dynamic in vitro cerebrovascular models are considered capable of simulating the in vivo hemodynamic WSS conditions, but only a few of them seem to meet the criteria for this task. WSS heterogeneity is in support of segmental heterogeneity i.e. the endothelial phenotypic and functional difference among arterioles, capillaries, and venules. In this review paper, the importance of WSS is described in detail and two more microvascular segments are proposed for the first time. Endothelial cells in the cardiovascular system seem to have a sophisticated role acting like cardiovascular processing sensors (CPSs).

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Why is it important?

1) A summary of the current "state of the art" WSS measurements in the human eye microcirculation is presented. 2) Two more microvascular segments are proposed for the first time: a precapillary arteriolar and a postcapillary venular segment. 3) The accurate hemodynamic simulation in all microvascular segments is a prerequisite step in the development of dynamic in vitro blood brain barrier (BBB) models and microfluidic platforms on a chip. 4) Endothelial cells in the cardiovascular system seem to have a sophisticated role acting like cardiovascular processing sensors (CPSs).

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