Pericyte-expressed Tie2 controls angiogenesis and maturation скачать в хорошем качестве

Pericyte-expressed Tie2 controls angiogenesis and maturation

The Tie receptors with their Angiopoietin ligands act as regulators of angiogenesis and vessel maturation. Tie2 exerts its functions through its supposed endothelial-specific expression. Yet, Tie2 is also expressed at lower levels by pericytes and it has not been unravelled through which mechanisms pericyte Angiopoietin/Tie signaling affects angiogenesis. Here we show that pericytes express functional Tie2 receptor. Tie2 deletion in pericytes results in a pronounced pro-angiogenic effect leading to enhanced tumor growth. Together, the data expand and revise the current concepts on vascular Angiopoietin/Tie signaling and propose a bidirectional, reciprocal EC-pericyte model of Tie2 signaling.