In this study, the EC-derived factors that advance pericyte recruitment around endothelial cells and tube maturation were identified. Moreover, it was determined that the five primary endothelial cells derived factors lead the pericyte interplay and spread on different levels.
Using the original pericyte only evaluations, it was ascertained that PDGF-BB, aka platelet-derived growth factor-BB, PDGF-DD, and endothelial 1 (ET-1) have direct control on pericyte invasion. TGF-b1, which is a transforming growth factor, provokes invasion responses of pericytes, and finally, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) takes charge of pericytes formation with the help of ET-1 and PDGFs. Therefore, those five growth factors regulate pericytes’ interaction with EC tubes to form networks in capillaries. On the other hand, blocking reagents were used in an experiment on mice, which interfered with the factors and their receptors, and as a result, there was a severe hindrance to pericyte recruitment as well as proliferation. Consequently, endothelial cells created wide and short tubes due to the absence of active pericytes.
In conclusion, this study interprets and denotes the functional role of main EC factors in regulating pericyte engagement, proliferation, and precipitation during capillary system fabrication.
Ref: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/ATVBAHA.120.314948
