title: [The distribution and evolution of pericytes in infantile hemangioma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the distribution, phenotype and development of pericytes in infantile hemangioma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two infantile hemangioma samples were included in our study. alpha-SMA was used as the marker antigen to observe the distribution of pericytes. Transmission electron microscope and TUNEL method were used to analyze the apoptosis of pericytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the early and middle proliferating stage, there existed many pericytes in hemangioma; Pericytes together with endothelial cells generated vasculogenesis. In the late proliferating stage, many pericytes became apoptotic. In the early involuting stage, there were only a few of pericytes around the microvessels; After that, the microvessels became obstruction progressively and pericytes disappeared finally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pericyte is one of the major constitutive cells of hemangioma. The vasculogenesis, development and disappearance of microvessels undertaken by pericytes and endothelial cells lead to the pathologic evolution of infantile hemangioma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Command, Nanjing 210002, China.
authors.forename: Si-ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Hui-qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Tian-xiang
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xing
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D020286:Pericytes / Q000473:pathology*