The aorta, the largest artery in the human body, distributes oxygenated blood from the heart to all parts of the body. The aorta starts at the level of the left ventricle through an orifice called the aorta. It rises and describes a curve allowing it to pass above the pulmonary vessels: it is the aortic arch. Aortic endothelial cells (AECs), which line the vessel wall, are constantly exposed to high hemodynamic forces that induce changes in the production of endothelium-derived substances that regulate vasoconstriction and vessel growth. AECs also modulate the expression of cell adhesion molecules to control and refine inflammatory responses and fibrinolysis. These physiological properties allow AEC cultures to be widely used in the study of mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction, the pathogenesis of vascular disease and atherosclerosis, and in the development of new disease treatments.