Defective Associations between Blood Vessels and Brain Parenchyma Lead to Cerebral Hemorrhage in Mice Lacking αv Integrins

• DOI: 10.1128/mcb.22.21.7667-7677.2002
• Publication Date: 2002-10-07T21:22:17Z
• Authors: Joseph H. McCarty; Rita A. Monahan-E...; Lawrence F. Brown; Markus Keller; Holger Gerhardt; Kristofer Rubin; Moshe Shani; Harold F. Dvorak; Hartwig Wolburg; Bernhard L. Bader; Ann M. Dvorak; Richard O. Hynes
• Keywords: Parenchyma

Mouse embryos genetically null for the alphav integrin subunit develop intracerebral hemorrhages at midgestation and die shortly after birth. A key question is whether hemorrhage arises from primary defects in vascular endothelial cells or pericytes other causes. We have previously reported normal initiation of cerebral vessels comprising branched tubes cells. Here we show that onset not due to pericyte recruitment. Additionally, most alphav-null display ultrastructurally endothelium-pericyte associations interendothelial cell junctions. Thus, appear establish their relationships microvessels. However, by both light electron microscopy, detected defective between microvessels surrounding brain parenchyma, composed neuroepithelial cells, glia, neuronal precursors. These data suggest a novel role integrins association central nervous system parenchymal