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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Sep 27.
Published in final edited form as: Neuron. 2017 Sep 27;96(1):17–42. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.07.030

Table 1.

Key cellular steps underlying neurovascular coupling in neocortex

Step Cell type Mediator/Mechanism Cellular targets Vascular segment
Initiation

  • Principal neuron

  • Interneuron

  • NO

  • Neurotransmitters

  • Neuropeptides

  • Prostanoids

  • Adenosine

  • ATP

  • K+

  • Hypoxia

  • Astrocytes

  • Endothelium

  • Pericytes

  • SMC

  • Red blood cells

  • Capillaries

  • Arterioles
Modulation/ Spatial shaping

  • Subcortical projection neurons (LC, BF, RM)

  • Perivascular innervation (?)

  • Acetylcholine

  • Serotonin

  • Noradrenalin

  • Neuropeptides

  • Neurons

  • Astrocytes

  • Endothelium

  • Pericytes

  • SMC

  • Capillaries

  • Arterioles

  • Pial arteries
Neurovascular transmission

  • Astrocytes

  • K+

  • Prostanoids (?)

  • Adenosine (?)

  • Endothelium

  • Pericytes

  • SMC

  • Capillaries

  • Arterioles
Retrograde propagation

  • Endothelium

  • Pericytes (?)

  • Astrocytes (?)

  • Gap junctions

  • Myoendothelial junctions

  • Myogenic response/FMV

  • Hyperpolarizing factor (?)

  • Endothelium

  • Pericytes (?)

  • Astrocytes (?)

  • SMC

  • Capillaries

  • Arterioles
Implementation

  • SMC

  • Contractile mural cells (pericytes?)

  • Hyperpolarization

  • ↓Ca2+ or Ca2+ sensitivity

  • Contractile proteins

 –

  • Capillaries (?)

  • Arterioles

  • Pial arteries

Abbreviations: BF: basal forebrain; FMV: flow-mediated vasodilatation; LC: locus coeruleus; MLC: myosin light chain; RM: raphe magnus; SMC: smooth muscle cells