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Isolation and Purification of Murine Cardiac Pericytes
Published on: August 16, 2019
Pericytes in Atherosclerosis
Volha Summerhill1,2, Alexander Orekhov3,4
1Laboratory of Angiopathology, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia.
Insights
Pericytes, crucial vascular cells, are involved in tissue development and atherosclerosis. Their multilineage potential impacts vascular pathology, offering diagnostic and therapeutic targets for diseases like atherosclerosis.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Pathology
Background:
- Pericytes are pluripotent cells residing in blood vessel walls.
- They exhibit heterogeneity in phenotype, distribution, and function.
- Pericytes regulate vascular morphogenesis and function, and are implicated in tissue homeostasis and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of pericytes in vascular pathologies, particularly atherosclerosis.
- To understand the origin and multilineage potential of pericytes.
- To identify pericyte surface markers for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of current research on pericytes.
- Analysis of pericyte involvement in atherosclerosis pathogenesis.
- Identification of pericyte surface markers.
Main Results:
- Pericytes contribute to lipid accumulation, plaque growth, neovascularization, inflammation, and thrombosis in atherosclerosis.
- Pericytes originate from multipotent stem cells and possess mesenchymal differentiation potential.
- Various pericyte surface proteins are identified.
Conclusions:
- Pericyte multilineage potential is critical in atherosclerotic lesion formation.
- Pericytes are key players in both normal vascular function and pathological processes.
- Identified pericyte surface proteins offer potential for diagnosing and treating vascular diseases.
Abstract:
Pericytes are pluripotent cells found in the vascular wall of both capillaries and large blood vessels. Pericytes are highly heterogeneous cells in terms of phenotype, tissue distribution, origin and functions, and they play an important role in the regulation of vascular morphogenesis and function. Pericytes were shown to be involved in tissue development and homeostasis, as well as in pathological processes, including atherosclerosis. Both microvascular and macrovascular pericytes form the cellular network of the arterial wall and are actively involved in lipid accumulation, growth, and neovascularization of the atherosclerotic plaque, local inflammation and thrombosis. According to current understanding, pericytes originate from the multipotent stem cells capable of mesenchymal differentiation to oligopotent lineages, such as osteoclasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes, and also serve as mesenchymal local progenitors in tissues. Pericyte multilineage potential is fundamental for vascular pathology, including atherosclerotic lesion formation. Pericytes express various surface proteins that can be used for their identification in aid of diagnosis and therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis and other vascular pathologies.
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