Pericyte Plasticity in the Brain

Abstract

Cerebral pericytes are perivascular cells that stabilize blood vessels. Little is known about the plasticity of pericytes in the adult brain in vivo. Recently, using state-of-the-art technologies, including two-photon microscopy in combination with sophisticated Cre/loxP in vivo tracing techniques, a novel role of pericytes was revealed in vascular remodeling in the adult brain. Strikingly, after pericyte ablation, neighboring pericytes expand their processes and prevent vascular dilatation. This new knowledge provides insights into pericyte plasticity in the adult brain.

Keywords: Blood vessel; Brain; Pericytes; Plasticity.

Fig. 1

Cerebral pericyte plasticity in response to neighbor ablation. Pericytes are present around blood vessels in the brain. The study of Berthiaume and colleagues now suggests a novel role for pericytes in vascular remodeling in the adult brain [41]. After pericyte ablation, using targeted two-photon irradiation, adjacent pericytes extend their processes to cover the exposed endothelial bed, and reverse the vascular dilatation that occurs after pericyte depletion. Future studies will reveal in detail the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in this process in the brain microenvironment.