Research advances in pericyte function and their roles in diseases
Zisen Zhang, Henan Zhou, Shuangshuang He, Mingying Xue, Tao Li, Liangming Liu
Abstract
Pericyte, a kind of pluripotent cell, may regulate the irrigation flow and permeability of microcirculation. Pericytes are similar to the smooth muscle cells, which express several kinds of contractile proteins and have contractility. The dysfunction of pericytes is related to many microvascular diseases, including hypoxia, hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, fibrosis, inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and tumor formation. For a long time, their existence and function have been neglected. The distribution, structure, biomarker, related signaling pathways as well as the roles of pericytes on vascular diseases will be introduced in this review.
Topics & Concepts
PericyteContractilityInflammationDiseaseFibrosisZebrafishVascular permeabilityMedicineMural cellNeuroscienceHypoxia (environmental)MicrocirculationBiologyPathologyCell biologyVascular smooth muscleSmooth muscleImmunologyChemistryEndothelial stem cellInternal medicineIn vitroOrganic chemistryBiochemistryOxygenGeneBarrier Structure and Function StudiesAngiogenesis and VEGF in CancerS100 Proteins and Annexins