Published Online
on October 4, 2004

A more recent version of this article appeared on October 12, 2004

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 110/15/2226    most recent 01.CIR.0000144457.55518.E5v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Farrington-Rock, C. Articles by Canfield, A. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Farrington-Rock, C. Articles by Canfield, A. E. Pubmed/NCBI databases Substance via MeSH Related Collections Cell biology/structural biology Smooth muscle proliferation and differentiation Mechanism of atherosclerosis/growth factors Other Vascular biology

Submitted on November 12, 2003
Revised on May 12, 2004
Accepted on May 19, 2004

Chondrogenic and Adipogenic Potential of Microvascular Pericytes

C. Farrington-Rock PhD, N. J. Crofts BSc, M. J. Doherty PhD, B. A. Ashton DPhil, C. Griffin-Jones , and A. E. Canfield PhD^*

From the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research (C.F.-R., N.J.C., M.J.D., C.G.-J., A.E.C.), Cardiovascular Research Group (A.E.C.), and the UK Centre for Tissue Engineering (N.J.C., A.E.C.), University of Manchester, Manchester, and the RJ and AH Orthopaedic Hospital (B.A.A.), Oswestry, UK.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ann.canfield{at}man.ac.uk.

Background--Previous studies have shown that pericytes can differentiate into osteoblasts and form bone. This study investigated whether pericytes can also differentiate into chondrocytes and adipocytes.

Methods and Results--Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that pericytes express mRNA for the chondrocyte markers Sox9, aggrecan, and type II collagen. Furthermore, when cultured at high density in the presence of a defined chondrogenic medium, pericytes formed well-defined pellets comprising cells embedded in an extracellular matrix rich in sulfated proteoglycans and type II collagen. In contrast, when endothelial cells were cultured under the same conditions, the pellets disintegrated after 48 hours. In the presence of adipogenic medium, pericytes but not endothelial cells expressed mRNA for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-2 (an adipocyte-specific transcription factor) and incorporated lipid droplets that stained with oil red O. To confirm that pericytes can differentiate along the chondrocytic and adipocytic lineages in vivo, these cells were inoculated into diffusion chambers and implanted into athymic mice for 56 days. Accordingly, mineralized cartilage, fibrocartilage, and a nonmineralized cartilaginous matrix with lacunae containing chondrocytes were observed within these chambers. Small clusters of cells that morphologically resembled adipocytes were also identified.

Conclusions--These data demonstrate that pericytes are multipotent cells that may contribute to growth, wound healing, repair, and/or the development and progression of various pathological states.

Key words: vasculature • cardiovascular diseases • cells • microcirculation • stem cells

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-H. Chen, C. Y. Y. Yip, E. D. Sone, and C. A. Simmons Identification and Characterization of Aortic Valve Mesenchymal Progenitor Cells with Robust Osteogenic Calcification Potential Am. J. Pathol., March 1, 2009; 174(3): 1109 - 1119. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. S. Jeon, W. S. Park, M. J. Lee, Y. M. Kim, J. Han, and J. H. Kim A Rho Kinase/Myocardin-Related Transcription Factor-A-Dependent Mechanism Underlies the Sphingosylphosphorylcholine-Induced Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Into Contractile Smooth Muscle Cells Circ. Res., September 12, 2008; 103(6): 635 - 642. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. Hayden, P. R. Karuparthi, J. Habibi, G. Lastra, K. Patel, C. Wasekar, C. M. Manrique, U. Ozerdem, S. Stas, and J. R. Sowers Ultrastructure of Islet Microcirculation, Pericytes and the Islet Exocrine Interface in the HIP Rat Model of Diabetes Experimental Biology and Medicine, September 1, 2008; 233(9): 1109 - 1123. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. L. Demer and Y. Tintut Vascular Calcification: Pathobiology of a Multifaceted Disease Circulation, June 3, 2008; 117(22): 2938 - 2948. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. Hayes, D. Tudor, M. A. Nowell, B. Caterson, and C. E. Hughes Chondroitin Sulfate Sulfation Motifs as Putative Biomarkers for Isolation of Articular Cartilage Progenitor Cells J. Histochem. Cytochem., February 1, 2008; 56(2): 125 - 138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. O. Traktuev, S. Merfeld-Clauss, J. Li, M. Kolonin, W. Arap, R. Pasqualini, B. H. Johnstone, and K. L. March A Population of Multipotent CD34-Positive Adipose Stromal Cells Share Pericyte and Mesenchymal Surface Markers, Reside in a Periendothelial Location, and Stabilize Endothelial Networks Circ. Res., January 4, 2008; 102(1): 77 - 85. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Rophael, R. O. Craft, J. A. Palmer, A. J. Hussey, G. P.L. Thomas, W. A. Morrison, A. J. Penington, and G. M. Mitchell Angiogenic Growth Factor Synergism in a Murine Tissue Engineering Model of Angiogenesis and Adipogenesis Am. J. Pathol., December 1, 2007; 171(6): 2048 - 2057. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. P. Kirton, N. J. Crofts, S. J. George, K. Brennan, and A. E. Canfield Wnt/{beta}-Catenin Signaling Stimulates Chondrogenic and Inhibits Adipogenic Differentiation of Pericytes: Potential Relevance to Vascular Disease? Circ. Res., September 14, 2007; 101(6): 581 - 589. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. A. Auger, P. D'Orleans-Juste, and L. Germain Adventitia contribution to vascular contraction: Hints provided by tissue-engineered substitutes Cardiovasc Res, September 1, 2007; 75(4): 669 - 678. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. C. Johnson, J. A. Leopold, and J. Loscalzo Vascular Calcification: Pathobiological Mechanisms and Clinical Implications Circ. Res., November 10, 2006; 99(10): 1044 - 1059. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. d. S. Meirelles, P. C. Chagastelles, and N. B. Nardi Mesenchymal stem cells reside in virtually all post-natal organs and tissues J. Cell Sci., June 1, 2006; 119(11): 2204 - 2213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Armulik, A. Abramsson, and C. Betsholtz Endothelial/Pericyte Interactions Circ. Res., September 16, 2005; 97(6): 512 - 523. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. H. Chen, C. JX. Lee, and J. E. Aubin Osteoblasts May Take a Road Well-Traveled IBMS BoneKEy, September 1, 2005; 2(9): 14 - 18. [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. L. Demer and Y. Tintut Return to Ectopia: Stem Cells in the Artery Wall Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, July 1, 2005; 25(7): 1307 - 1308. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G.D.M. Collett and A.E. Canfield Angiogenesis and Pericytes in the Initiation of Ectopic Calcification Circ. Res., May 13, 2005; 96(9): 930 - 938. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]