Pericyte-endothelial gap junctions in developing rat cerebral capillaries: a fine structural study.
BACKGROUND
Fine structural study revealed the intercellular coupling between the pericyte and the endothelial cells via the gap junctions, in the capillaries of the basal forebrain of rat embryos.


RESULTS
Gap junctions were constructed by the adluminal plasmalemma of pericyte and the abluminal plasmalemma of endothelial cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Gap junctions are membranous channels that directly join the cytoplasms of the pericyte and endothelial cell and imply some substantial role for the pericyte on the endothelial proliferation. It is postulated that the function of the pericyte in the prenatal mammals are assigned to the regulation of the development of cerebral microcirculation.
D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats