Regulates vascular permeability and fluid balance due to the large size and negative charge of its glycosaminoglycans2,3
Provides a physical barrier against inadvertent adhesion of platelets and leukocytes to the vascular wall4
Regulates coagulation as many of mediators of coagulation pathway are buried inside the glycocalyx under normal physiological condition5
Functions as a mechano-sensor and transducer of the shear-force inside blood vessels to regulate the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) in response to the blood flow3,6
