Pericytes on the dermal microvasculature of the rat skin

Abstract

Surface morphology of pericytes of the subepidermal capillary network of rat skin was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Pericytes showed considerable variation in shape, one end of the spectrum representing a fusiform cell body and lateral projections, the other end a club-like, undulated appearance. Most cells of whatever form were disposed parallel to the capillary course and aligned on the dermal side of the vessels. The pericytic processes encompassed up to half of the endothelial circumference, and were not tapered but spatulated at the ends; the cells adhered to the vessel wall only in certain areas. These findings, together with our previous observation that the subepidermal capillaries exhibit fenestrations mainly at the epidermal side of the endothelial lining, suggest a possible functional role of the pericyte in control of material exchange through the vessel wall. The lateral processes of the fusiform pericytes may, by contraction, cause thinning of the capillary endothelium and the formation of fenestrae, while the club-like pericytes may straighten and push the capillary towards the epidermis, if pericytes are indeed contractile cells, as recent studies indicate.

Fine Structural Deformation of the Dermal Capillary Following Immersion Fixation Procedure

“…Considering the recent paper demonstrating that the BL is thixotropic (14), the appearance of partially laminated BL around the vascular circumference can be regarded as a folded BL in accordance with the shrunken lining. In the venous capillary and postcapillary venule, pericytes, which the characteristic of the venous segments (6,15), would be also involved in the partial layering of the BL. During the immersion procedure, pericyte processes contracted to a much greater extent than the surrounding BL.…”

“…During the immersion procedure, pericyte processes contracted to a much greater extent than the surrounding BL. Pericytes of the dermal microvasculature, as well as of other tissues, have spindle shaped cell bodies with lateral processes which encircle the endothelial tube (15). The BL sheath of the process would be left without cellular components and thus appear to be a partially multiplied BL.…”

Basal Lamina of the Dermal Capillary: Concentric Multilamination Following Regeneration Processes

“…Ten Wister male rats weighing 150-200 g were used, as in the previous studies (5)(6)(7)(8). Materials were obtained from 2 rats each before and 48 h after application, and subsequently at 2,4, and 8 weeks.…”

Scanning electron microscope study of elastic fibers of the loose connective tissue (superficial fascia) in the rat

“…We combined of fibers in most connective tissues and a layer in the the selective digestion method for elastin with resin blood vessels as well. A typical network of fibers has injection (Imayama, 1981(Imayama, , 1984 in a n attempt to prebeen shown in the loose connective tissue using whole-serve the microvasculature as a scaffold for the stromal mount stretch preparations (Foster, 1962; Elias and tissue. The loose connective tissue between the skin and Pauly, 1966).…”