Pericyte-related signaling pathways in angiogenesis / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Pericytes, which are widely distributed in the microvasculature except lymphatic vessels, are not only a constituent of microvessels, but also play an important role in microvascular occurrence, development, stability, maturity and remodeling. Its signal transduction is currently a hot spot. OBJECTIVE:To review recent advances in the signal pathways related to pericytes and angiogenesis. METHODS:We retrieved PubMed database, Wanfang database, CNKI database and China Biology Medicine disc for articles addressing pericytes and angiogenesis published from 1994 to 2014. The keywords were “pricytes; endothelial cels; microvessels; signal transduction” in English and Chinese, respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the early stage of capilary formation, recruitment of pericytes contributes to the occurrence and development of new blood capilaries. However, in the late stage of angiogenesis, pericytes inhibit endothelial cel proliferation and promote endothelial cel differentiation, thereby promoting vascular maturation, maintaining normal structure and regulating their permeability. In this process, signaling pathways of platelet-derived growth factor B/platelet-derived growth factor receptor β, transforming growth factor β, angiopoietin-1/Tie-2, human heparin binding epidermal growth factor/ErbBs, and stromal cel derived factor 1α/CXCR4 play an important regulatory role in pericytes and angiogenesis.