Pericytes as a Source of MSCs

Pericytes are periendothelial cells which play an important role in the structural maintenance of blood vessels. Interest in pericytes has been increasing since the realization that they have much in common with cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Data from various experimental approaches now indicate that pericytes behave as stem cells in the body; consequently, understanding their behavior under steady-state conditions and also during wound healing may be useful for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. In this chapter, we discuss the evidence that suggests that pericytes are the in vivo progenitors of MSCs.