Pericytes: blood-brain barrier safeguards against neurodegeneration?

Annelies Quaegebeur; Inmaculada Segura; Peter Carmeliet

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2010.10.024

Pericytes: blood-brain barrier safeguards against neurodegeneration?

Neuron. 2010 Nov 4;68(3):321-3. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2010.10.024.

Authors

Annelies Quaegebeur¹, Inmaculada Segura, Peter Carmeliet

Affiliation

¹ Vesalius Research Center, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.

PMID: 21040834
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2010.10.024

Abstract

The role of pericytes in the control of blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity has remained enigmatic. In this issue, Bell et al. and two concurrent studies highlight that pericyte loss causes BBB breakdown and hypoperfusion. Remarkably, these vascular changes precede neurodegeneration and cognitive defects in old age.

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