title: Pericyte loss and microaneurysm formation in PDGF-B-deficient mice.
abstract: Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-B-deficient mouse embryos were found to lack microvascular pericytes, which normally form part of the capillary wall, and they developed numerous capillary microaneurysms that ruptured at late gestation. Endothelial cells of the sprouting capillaries in the mutant mice appeared to be unable to attract PDGF-Rbeta-positive pericyte progenitor cells. Pericytes may contribute to the mechanical stability of the capillary wall. Comparisons made between PDGF null mouse phenotypes suggest a general role for PDGFs in the development of myofibroblasts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Göteborg, Medicinaregatan 9A, S-413 90 Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lindahl
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levéen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Betsholtz
mesh_terms: D000783:Aneurysm / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D002196:Capillaries / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009154:Mutation; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor