title: Isometric contraction of microvascular pericytes from mouse brain parenchyma.
abstract: Pericytes were isolated and cultured from mouse cerebroparenchymal microvessels. A single pericyte clone was three-dimensionally cultured in a collagen gel by adding tensile stress, resulting in the reconstruction of narrow stringy fibers. When the contractility of these fibers was evaluated isometrically, they contracted in response to acetylcholine (ACh)1 or noradrenaline; this was accompanied by an increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]i). The fibers that were pre-contracted by ACh were completely relaxed by papaverine, which is a smooth-muscle relaxant. Moreover, the muscarinic ACh receptor-antagonist atropine depressed the [Ca(2+)]i response that was induced by ACh. This study demonstrates for the first time the quantitative measurement of the contractions produced by cultured microvascular pericytes from mouse brain parenchyma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, 2-522-1, Noshio, Kiyose, Tokyo 204-8588, Japan. oishikz@my-pharm.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oishi
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamiyashiki
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002118:Calcium / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D002196:Capillaries / Q000166:cytology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D043384:Glutamyl Aminopeptidase / Q000032:analysis; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000166:cytology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D064231:Nestin; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D020286:Pericytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4
chemical_list: D000109:Acetylcholine; D000199:Actins; D000941:Antigens; D001285:Atropine; D002118:Calcium; D015237:Dinoprost; D043384:Glutamyl Aminopeptidase; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D009638:Norepinephrine; D010208:Papaverine; D010656:Phenylephrine; D011509:Proteoglycans; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D014746:Vimentin; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4; C577485:Nes protein, mouse