Long-term systemic disease risk stratification early in life may provide clinicians with information necessary to target microvascular risk factors in therapeutic interventions, even before overt signs of systemic diseases become evident. Advancing our understanding of the pathophysiology behind changes in retinal microvascular structure in diseased states may aid in the development of novel prediction and intervention

strategies for a range of systemic conditions. www.selleckchem.com/products/Everolimus(RAD001).html Although retinal imaging shows a great deal of promise as a potentially powerful clinical tool, further epidemiologic research is needed if it is to become widely used in disease-risk stratification. Kevin Serre is PhD researcher in the Health Sciences and Medicine Faculty at Bond University in Australia. BSc(H) 2004 in Molecular Biology, Queen’s University and Masters of Sports Science 2006, Bond University. His research focuses on the responses in vascular function to exercise in women aged 65-74 years with type 2 diabetes. Kevin is currently the Strength and Conditioning Specialist for the Canadian Military’s Special Operations Regiment. Muhammad Bayu Sasongko, MD is a research fellow at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Australia. His research interest includes

retinal vascular image analysis and its high throughput screening clinical relevance to systemic vascular diseases and general ophthalmic epidemiology. He is currently undertaking research exploring novel markers obtained from various retinal vascular imaging

techniques for diabetic complications and other systemic vascular diseases. “
“Microcirculation (2010) 17, 179–191. doi: 10.1111/j.1549-8719.2009.00016.x Endothelial cells are stimulated by shear stress throughout the vasculature and respond with changes in gene expression and by morphological reorganization. Mechanical sensors of the cell are varied and include cell surface sensors that activate intracellular chemical signaling pathways. Here, possible mechanical sensors of the cell including reorganization of the cytoskeleton and the nucleus are discussed in relation to shear flow. A mutation in the nuclear structural protein buy Cetuximab lamin A, related to Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, is reviewed specifically as the mutation results in altered nuclear structure and stiffer nuclei; animal models also suggest significantly altered vascular structure. Nuclear and cellular deformation of endothelial cells in response to shear stress provides partial understanding of possible mechanical regulation in the microcirculation. Increasing sophistication of fluid flow simulations inside the vessel is also an emerging area relevant to the microcirculation as visualization in situ is difficult. This integrated approach to study—including medicine, molecular and cell biology, biophysics and engineering—provides a unique understanding of multi-scale interactions in the microcirculation.