中文摘要：

血管内皮细胞（VECs）作为人体的重要器官，不但其完整性是维持血管通透的重要屏障，而且其结构及功能受损对热损伤早期具有重要影响。中暑时，高热刺激导致机体出现一系列急性、复杂的病理生理和微循环改变，引起VECs损伤，可诱发或加重多器官功能障碍综合征（MODS）。同时，有研究显示VECs是热打击时重要的反应细胞，是中暑过程中发生形态和功能变化的最常见细胞之一，也是最早发生损伤的细胞。VECs损伤可能是机体由热应激的生理进程向中暑和重症中暑这一病理进程转变的重要中间环节，在重症中暑MODS的发病过程中起着关键性作用。

英文摘要：

As an important organ of the human body, vascular endothelial cells （VECs） play a vital role in heat stress- induced tissue damage. Its integrity not only serves as a barrier for maintaining vascular permeability but also has major impact on cellular structure and function during acute phase response to heat stress. In heat stroke, a series of acute and complicated pathophysiological changes~ including microcirculation change, damage VECs and thereby induce or aggravate multiple organ dysfunction syndrome （MODS）. Meanwhile, studies have shown that, during heat stroke, VECs are the major responding cells and one of the most common cells that experience morphological and functional changes. Therefore, VECs damage might be an important mechanism involved in heat stroke. This article reviews the mechanism of heat-induced damage of VECs and its effect on vital organs.