Pericytes are perivascular cells of microcirculation, which construct the barrier between the microcircula-tion and interstitial fluid with endothelial cell and basement membrane. Contractility and other multifunctional activities of pericytes are now being elucidated. Pericytes are pluripotential cells (i. e. as a source of other cell types)and take part in many biological and pathological procedures, such as vascularization, vascular remodeling , microvessel permeability and wound healing, etc. The functional interaction of pericytes with endothelial cells (EC) is now being established. The disfunction and population alteration of pericytes are characterized in many microvascular diseases, such as diabetic retinopa-thy, vascularization of tumors, hypertension,etc.
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