Pericyte-targeting drug delivery and tissue engineering.
Pericytes are contractile mural cells that wrap around the endothelial cells of capillaries and venules. Depending on the triggers by cellular signals, pericytes have specific functionality in tumor microenvironments, properties of potent stem cells, and plasticity in cellular pathology. These features of pericytes can be activated for the promotion or reduction of angiogenesis. Frontier studies have exploited pericyte-targeting drug delivery, using pericyte-specific peptides, small molecules, and DNA in tumor therapy. Moreover, the communication between pericytes and endothelial cells has been applied to the induction of vessel neoformation in tissue engineering. Pericytes may prove to be a novel target for tumor therapy and tissue engineering. The present paper specifically reviews pericyte-specific drug delivery and tissue engineering, allowing insight into the emerging research targeting pericytes.
School of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, South Korea.
Eunah
E
Kang
Division of Allergic and Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, South Korea.
Jong Wook
JW
Shin
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002196:Capillaries / Q000166:cytology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D020286:Pericytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment; D066253:Vascular Remodeling
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010455:Peptides
angiogenesis; pericyte-targeting drug delivery; pericytes; platelet-derived growth factor; tissue engineering; vascular remodeling