Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Heterogeneity of microvascular pericytes for smooth muscle type alpha-actin.

Heterogeneity of microvascular pericytes for smooth muscle type alpha-actin. Microvascular pericytes are believed to be involved in various functions such as regulation of capillary blood flow and endothelial proliferation. Since pericytes represent a morphologically heterogeneous cell population ranging from circular smooth musclelike to elongated fibroblast-like morphology it is possible that regulation of blood flow (via contractility) and control of endothelial proliferation (as well as other metabolic functions) may be accomplished by different subsets of pericytes. In the present study we provide evidence for heterogeneity of pericytes at the molecular level by using two novel technical approaches. These are (a) immunostaining of whole mounts of the microvascular beds of the rat mesentery and bovine retina and (b) immunoblotting studies of microdissected retinal microvessels. We show that pericytes of true capillaries (midcapillaries) apparently lack the smooth muscle isoform of alpha-actin whereas transitional pericytes of pre- and postcapillary microvascular segments do express this isoform. Thus, regulation of capillary blood flow may be accomplished by the smooth muscle-related pre- and postcapillary pericytes whereas the nonmuscle pericytes of true capillaries may play a role in other functions. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Journal of Cell Biology Rockefeller University Press

Heterogeneity of microvascular pericytes for smooth muscle type alpha-actin.

The Journal of Cell Biology , Volume 113 (1): 147 – Apr 1, 1991

Loading next page...
 
/lp/rockefeller-university-press/heterogeneity-of-microvascular-pericytes-for-smooth-muscle-type-alpha-cyGsYKumVC

References (27)

Publisher
Rockefeller University Press
Copyright
© 1991 Rockefeller University Press
ISSN
0021-9525
eISSN
1540-8140
DOI
10.1083/jcb.113.1.147
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Microvascular pericytes are believed to be involved in various functions such as regulation of capillary blood flow and endothelial proliferation. Since pericytes represent a morphologically heterogeneous cell population ranging from circular smooth musclelike to elongated fibroblast-like morphology it is possible that regulation of blood flow (via contractility) and control of endothelial proliferation (as well as other metabolic functions) may be accomplished by different subsets of pericytes. In the present study we provide evidence for heterogeneity of pericytes at the molecular level by using two novel technical approaches. These are (a) immunostaining of whole mounts of the microvascular beds of the rat mesentery and bovine retina and (b) immunoblotting studies of microdissected retinal microvessels. We show that pericytes of true capillaries (midcapillaries) apparently lack the smooth muscle isoform of alpha-actin whereas transitional pericytes of pre- and postcapillary microvascular segments do express this isoform. Thus, regulation of capillary blood flow may be accomplished by the smooth muscle-related pre- and postcapillary pericytes whereas the nonmuscle pericytes of true capillaries may play a role in other functions.

Journal

The Journal of Cell BiologyRockefeller University Press

Published: Apr 1, 1991

There are no references for this article.