Decreased blood vessel density and endothelial cell subset dynamics during ageing of the endocrine system.

ABSTRACT: Age-associated alterations of the hormone-secreting endocrine system cause organ dysfunction and disease states. However, the cell biology of endocrine tissue ageing remains poorly understood. Here, we perform comparative 3D imaging to understand age-related perturbations of the endothelial cell (EC) compartment in endocrine glands. Datasets of a wide range of markers highlight a decline in capillary and artery numbers, but not of perivascular cells in pancreas, testis and thyroid gland, with age in mice and humans. Further, angiogenesis and β-cell expansion in the pancreas are coupled by a distinct age-dependent subset of ECs. While this EC subpopulation supports pancreatic β cells, it declines during ageing concomitant with increased expression of the gap junction protein Gja1. EC-specif

SUBMITTER: Chen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7780152 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature