Pericyte

Pericytus

Contractile mural cells embedded in the capillary basement membrane, at a ~1:3 ratio to brain endothelium, versus ~1:100 in muscle, essential for BBB induction and capillary tone.

Function

Essential for BBB induction during development and for maintenance in adulthood. Contribute to vascular stability and neurovascular coupling, and can regulate capillary blood flow (degree/role context-dependent and debated). Communicate bidirectionally with endothelial cells through gap junctions and paracrine signals.

Morphology

Elongated, irregularly shaped cells that wrap cerebral capillaries with multiple foot processes, sharing a basement membrane with the endothelial cell beneath.

Specification

  • Receptors: PDGFRb
  • Location: Cerebral capillaries throughout CNS.
  • Projections: Wraps around endothelial cells
  • Firing: Non-spiking
  • Markers: PDGFRB; CSPG4/NG2; RGS5; KCNJ8; ABCC9; DES/desmin; ACTA2/alpha-SMA (subset/arteriolar)
  • Developmental origin: Neural crest / Mesoderm
  • Disease: Pericyte loss precedes cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and is now recognised as an early mechanism of BBB breakdown rather than a consequence of it.
  • Cell Ontology: CL:0000669

References

  1. Armulik A et al. (2010). Pericytes regulate the blood-brain barrier.. Nature 468: 557–561 PMID 20944627
  2. Montagne A et al. (2020). APOE4 leads to blood-brain barrier dysfunction predicting cognitive decline.. Nature 581: 71–76 PMID 32376954

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