PMID- 37855433
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
LR  - 20240105
IS  - 2516-5658 (Electronic)
IS  - 2516-5658 (Linking)
VI  - 5
IP  - 1
DP  - 2023 Jan 1
TI  - Ultrastructure of precapillary sphincters and the neurovascular unit.
LID - 10.1530/VB-23-0011 [doi]
LID - e230011
AB  - Neurons communicate with vasculature to regulate blood flow in the brain, a 
      process maintained by the neurovascular unit (NVU). This interaction, termed 
      neurovascular coupling, is believed to involve astrocytes or molecules capable of 
      traversing the astrocytic endfeet. The precise mechanism, however, remains 
      elusive. Using large 3D electron microscopy datasets, we can now study the entire 
      NVU in context of vascular hierarchy. This study presents evidence supporting the 
      role of precapillary sphincters as a nexus for neurovascular coupling and 
      endothelial transcytosis. It also highlights the role of fibroblast-synthesized 
      collagen in fortifying first-order capillaries. Furthermore, I demonstrate how 
      astrocytic endfeet establish a barrier for fluid flow and reveal that the 
      cortex's microvasculature is semicircled by an unexpected arrangement of 
      parenchymal neuronal processes around penetrating arterioles and arterial-end 
      capillaries in both mouse and human brains. These discoveries offer insights into 
      the NVU's structure and its operational mechanisms, potentially aiding 
      researchers in devising new strategies for preserving cognitive function and 
      promoting healthy aging.
FAU - Grubb, Soren
AU  - Grubb S
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-6710-9655
AD  - Department of Neuroscience and Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of 
      Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20231201
PL  - England
TA  - Vasc Biol
JT  - Vascular biology (Bristol, England)
JID - 101763329
PMC - PMC10762554
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - astrocyte
OT  - endothelia
OT  - mural cells
OT  - neurovascular coupling
OT  - precapillary sphincter
COIS- The author declares that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived 
      as prejudicing the impartiality of the study reported.
EDAT- 2023/10/19 12:45
MHDA- 2023/10/19 12:46
PMCR- 2023/12/01
CRDT- 2023/10/19 08:23
PHST- 2023/06/06 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2023/10/09 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2023/10/19 12:46 [medline]
PHST- 2023/10/19 12:45 [pubmed]
PHST- 2023/10/19 08:23 [entrez]
PHST- 2023/12/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - VB-23-0011 [pii]
AID - 10.1530/VB-23-0011 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - Vasc Biol. 2023 Dec 1;5(1):e230011. doi: 10.1530/VB-23-0011. Print 2023 Jan 1.