Brain pericyte biology: from physiopathological mechanisms to potential therapeutic applications in ischemic stroke

Jiaqi Fu; Huazheng Liang; Ping Yuan; Zhenyu Wei; Ping Zhong

doi:10.3389/fncel.2023.1267785

Brain pericyte biology: from physiopathological mechanisms to potential therapeutic applications in ischemic stroke

Front Cell Neurosci. 2023 Sep 14:17:1267785. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1267785. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Jiaqi Fu^{1

2}, Huazheng Liang³, Ping Yuan⁴, Zhenyu Wei², Ping Zhong^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Neurology, Shidong Hospital, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China.
³ Monash Suzhou Research Institute, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
⁴ Department of Cardio-Pulmonary Circulation, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Pericytes play an indispensable role in various organs and biological processes, such as promoting angiogenesis, regulating microvascular blood flow, and participating in immune responses. Therefore, in this review, we will first introduce the discovery and development of pericytes, identification methods and functional characteristics, then focus on brain pericytes, on the one hand, to summarize the functions of brain pericytes under physiological conditions, mainly discussing from the aspects of stem cell characteristics, contractile characteristics and paracrine characteristics; on the other hand, to summarize the role of brain pericytes under pathological conditions, mainly taking ischemic stroke as an example. Finally, we will discuss and analyze the application and development of pericytes as therapeutic targets, providing the research basis and direction for future microvascular diseases, especially ischemic stroke treatment.

Keywords: brain pericytes; contractile characteristics; ischemic stroke; paracrine characteristics; stem cell characteristics.

Publication types

Review