Fig. 1: Simplified representation of the ANVU.
From: Central cytometabolic functional vascular coupling in health and disease
Pial vessels branch off into terminal arterioles and venules. From this, dense networks of capillaries form the basis of the capillary bed. Cellular components of the ANVU include contractile pericytes that interface with the endothelial cells of capillaries, astrocytes that project endfeet onto the vasculature, and the neurons that interface with these complexes. Tripartite synapses are composed of pre- and post-synaptic neurons and specialized astrocyte processes.
