Table 2.
Pathologies exhibiting pericyte perturbation and likely outcomes of altered pericyte number or function.
| Disorder | Pericyte Aberrance Observed | Pericyte Functions Likely to Impact Disease |
|---|---|---|
| Diabetic chronic healing | Decreased pericyte numbers in dermis, pericytes exhibit altered morphology [72,73,74,75] | Angiogenesis-decreased vascularisation |
| Vessel permeability-leaky vessels lead to prolonged and uncontrolled inflammation | ||
| Fibrosis-pericytes promote fibrotic vessels | ||
| Stem cell properties-replacement of lost cell/tissue types | ||
| Diabetic retinopathy | Decreased pericyte numbers, increased pericyte apoptosis [76] | Angiogenesis-decreased control of endothelial proliferation |
| Vessel permeability-leakiness of vessels | ||
| Solid tumour | Unknown, however control of angiogenesis has long been recognised as an important target in treatment of solid tumours | Angiogenesis-tumour relies on new vasculature for blood supply |
| Endothelial control-metastasis of cancer | ||
| Vessel permeability-ability of chemotherapeutic agents to pass from bloodstream to tumour tissue | ||
| Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) | Increased pericyte coverage on pulmonary arteries [78] | Angiogenesis-excessive remodelling of pulmonary vasculature and endothelial dysfunction |
| Alzheimers (AD) | Degeneration at blood brain barrier (BBB) [79] | Angiogenesis-break down of vessels causes decreased cereberal bloodflow leading to neurodegeneration |
| Vessel permeability-accumulation of damaging molecules in the brain | ||
| Chronic kidney disease (CKD) | Differentiation of pericytes into myofibroblasts [80] | Fibrosis-pericytes thought to be source of myofibroblasts contributing to excessive fibrotic activity |
| Angiogenesis-differentiation of pericytes into myofibroblasts leaves less pericytes to stabilise vasculature |