Fluid shear attenuates endothelial pseudopodia formation into the capillary lumen.

Objective: Endothelial cells have the ability to undergo morphological shape changes, including projection of cytoplasmic pseudopodia into the capillary lumen. These cytoplasmic projections significantly influence the hemodynamic resistance to blood flow. To examine mechanotransduction mechanisms, we investigated in vivo the hemodynamic conditions in capillaries that control endothelial pseudopod formation.