Identification of Schwann Cells in Human Intracranial Arteries: Potential Regulatory Role in Atherosclerotic Plaque Progression.

ABSTRACT: Intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS), a common cause of ischemic stroke, remains a therapeutic challenge due to complex intracranial anatomy and intervention risks. Although ICAS develops intracranially, cerebral artery innervation originates in the peripheral nervous system. The scarcity of human intracranial specimens has hindered investigations into the potential role of Schwann cells (SCs) in neurovascular homeostasis. Using multimodal analysis of plaque-bearing and non-plaque-bearing intracranial artery samples from the same postmortem individuals (n = 16 donors), SCs associated with myelinated neural structures are identified. Quantitative ultrastructural evaluation reveals a 4.3-fold increase in SC-derived myelin sheaths within plaque-bearing vessels (P <0.001). Single-cell RNA seque

SUBMITTER: Wang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12407329 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature