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Cell migration

Pericytes — route planners

Nature Reviews Immunology volume 13, page 5 (2013)Cite this article

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pericyte-interacting neutrophils migrated faster and followed straighter paths to the inflammatory foci

Different subsets of pericytes are associated with distinct microvascular sites, and the pericytes that are found along arterioles and capillaries can be distinguished from other pericytes on the basis of their expression of NG2 (also known as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4). Stark et al. found that resting NG2+ pericytes expressed tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 1 and various pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), including Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, NLRP3 and the formyl peptide receptor FPR2. NG2+ pericytes also expressed intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) and further upregulated ICAM1 expression in response to treatment with TNF or PRR ligands. In vitro adhesion experiments showed that neutrophils and monocytes interact with pericytes in an ICAM1-dependent manner. Therefore, arteriolar and capillary pericytes can sense inflammatory stimuli and appear to increase their adhesive interactions with innate leukocytes in response to such signals.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Stark, K. et al. Capillary and arteriolar pericytes attract innate leukocytes exiting through venules and 'instruct' them with pattern-recognition and motility programs. Nature Immunol. 25 Nov 2012 (doi:10.1038/ni.2477)

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Authors
  1. Yvonne Bordon
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Bordon, Y. Pericytes — route planners. Nat Rev Immunol 13, 5 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3371

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