endothelial cell
Last reviewed 01/2018
Endothelial cells are the innermost lining of blood vessels. Collectively, the tissue they form is the endothelium. The structure of endothelium varies slightly with region of the vascular system; it is largely dependent on function. Hence, large vessel endothelia are adapted to containing blood with tight intercelluar links whereas exchange vessels have cells with looser associations.
Endothelial cells are not purely barriers; they are involved in a number of active metabolic processes.