Ex vivo capillary-parenchymal arteriole approach to study brain pericyte physiology.

ABSTRACT:

Significance

Vascular mural cells, defined as smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and pericytes, influence brain microcirculation, but how they contribute is not fully understood. Most approaches used to investigate pericyte and capillary interactions include ex vivo retinal/slice preparations or in vivo two-photon microscopy. However, neither method adequately captures mural cell behavior without interfering neuronal tissue. Thus, there is a need to isolate vessels with their respective mural cells to study functional and pathological changes.

Aim

The aim of our work was to implement an ex vivo method that recapitulates vessel dynamics in the brain.

Approach

Expanding upon our established ex vivo capillary-parenchymal arteriole (CaPA) preparation,

SUBMITTER: Jeffrey DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9225307 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature