Brain pericyte plasticity as a potential drug target in CNS repair.
Creators
- 1. Institute of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria and Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria
- 2. Institute of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria; Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria and Department of Ophthalmology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- 3. Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria and Institute of Tendon and Bone Regeneration, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria
- 4. Department of Organismic Biology, Development Biology Group, University Hospital of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- 5. Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria and Department of Blood Group Serology and Transfusion Medicine, Federal Hospital of Salzburg and Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- 6. Department of Ophthalmology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- 7. Wellcome Trust and MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute & Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- 8. Institute of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria; Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria and Wellcome Trust and MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute & Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Description
Brain pericytes (BrPCs) are essential cellular components of the central nervous system neuromuscular unit involved in the regulation of blood flow, blood–brain barrier function, as well as in the stabilization of the vessel architecture. More recently, it became evident that BrPCs, besides their regulatory activities in brain vessel function and homeostasis, have pleiotropic functions in the adult CNS ranging from stromal and regeneration promoting activities to stem cell properties. This special characteristic confers BrPC cell plasticity, being able to display features of other cells within the organism. BrPCs might also be causally involved in certain brain diseases. Due to these properties BrPCs might be potential drug targets for future therapies of neurological disorders. This review summarizes BrPC properties, disorders in which this cell type might be involved, and provides suggestions for future therapeutic developments targeting BrPCs.
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