Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) form the inner lining of blood vessels. They are critically involved in many physiological functions, including control of vasomotor tone, blood cell trafficking, hemostatic balance, permeability, proliferation, survival, and immunity. It is considered that impairment of EC functions leads to the development of vascular diseases. The carbohydrate antigens carried by glycoconjugates (e.g., glycoproteins, glycosphingolipids, and proteoglycans) mainly present on the cell surface serve not only as marker molecules but also as functional molecules. Recent studies have revealed that the carbohydrate composition of the EC surface is critical for these cells to perform their physiological functions. In this paper, we consider the expression and functional roles of endogenous glycoconjugates and related molecules (galectins and glycan-degrading enzymes) in human ECs. 1. Introduction Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) constitute the inner lining (endothelium) of blood vessels that form an interface between the blood and the vessel wall. Blood vessels alter their morphology and function in response to changes in blood flow, and their responses are based on blood flow detection by the vascular endothelium. ECs sense shear stress generated by flowing blood and transmit the signal to the interior of the cell, thereby evoking a cellular response [1]. The EC response to shear stress is closely linked to the regulation of vascular tone, blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, angiogenesis, and vascular remodeling. ECs also control vascular barrier regulation, passive diffusion, and active transport of substances from the blood [2]. Thus, ECs play important roles in vascular homeostatic functions, and excess activation or dysfunction of ECs is considered to lead to the development of vascular-related diseases, such as restenosis, arteriosclerosis, and cancer. Carbohydrate antigens (also called glycans) are expressed on the cell surface as components of glycoproteins, glycosphingolipids, and proteoglycans; these carbohydrate antigens contribute significantly to fundamental biological functions, such as cell differentiation, cell adhesion, cell-cell interaction, pathogen-host recognition, toxin-receptor interactions, cancer metastasis, immune responses, and regulation of signaling pathways [3]. Several studies have revealed that glycoconjugates play key roles in vascular biology. In this paper, we describe the importance of glycoconjugates in human ECs, with respect to their regulated expression and functional roles, particularly under
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