Spatiotemporally Dependent Vascularization Regulates Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells

Abstract

Blood vessels including arteries, veins, and capillaries, are densely spread throughout the body. One round of systemic blood circulation through these blood vessels occurs approximately every minute, and blood sent by the heart transports oxygen, nutrients, and fluid to cells throughout the body. This nourishes cells, tissues, and organs and maintains homeostasis. The relatively simple structure of blood vessels consists of endothelial cells surrounded by a basal lamina and pericytes covering the outer layer. However, blood vessels patterning markedly varies among tissues. The diversity and plasticity of vascular networks are considered vital for this system to facilitate distinct functions for each tissue. Recent studies revealed that blood vessels create a tissue-specific niche, thus attracting attention as biologically active sites for tissue development. This vascular niche establishes specialized microenvironments through both direct physical contact and secreted-soluble factors. Here, we review advances in our understanding of how the vascular niche is utilized by neural stem and progenitor cells during neocortical development, and describe future perspectives regarding new treatment strategies for neural diseases utilizing this vascular niche.