How Plastic Are Pericytes?

Pericytes are defined by both their anatomical location and molecular markers. Numerous publications have reported their role as stem cells, contributing to the formation of tissues other than blood vessels. However, using cell-lineage tracing in a new transgenic mouse model, a recent study shows that in the context of aging and some pathologies, Tbx18+ pericytes do not function as stem cells in vivo.

Pericytes are heterogeneous in their origin within the same tissue.

Pericytes heterogeneity is based on their morphology, distribution, and markers. It is well known that pericytes from different organs may have distinct embryonic sources. Yamazaki et al.