Pericytes derived from the retinal microvasculature undergo calcification in vitro

• DOI: 10.1242/jcs.97.3.449
• Publication Date: 2021-04-26T21:20:29Z
• Authors: A. M. Schor; T. D. Allen; A. E. Canfield; P. Sloan; S. L. Schor
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Cells; 610; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Cell Count; Tritium; Electron; Calcification; 03 medical and health sciences; Calcification, Physiologic; Cell Differentiation/physiology; Animals; Cells, Cultured; Microscopy; Cultured; Histocytochemistry; Microcirculation; Retinal Vessels; Videotape Recording; 600; Cell Differentiation; Thymidine/metabolism; Retinal Vessels/cytology; Microscopy, Electron; Cattle; Physiologic/physiology; Electron Probe Microanalysis; Thymidine

Pericytes isolated from the bovine retinal microvasculature retain characteristic features of their in vivo counterparts, such as presence glycogen deposits, long filamentous processes, prominent microfilament bundles and ability to display two distinct reversible phenotypes. Time-lapse video-microscopy demonstrated that pericytes tend overlap aggregate, even sparse cultures. After reaching confluence, they form multilayered areas retract away each other, resulting formation multicellular nodules. These nodules increase size cellularity by going through repeated 5- 6-h cycles anchoring, spreading, cell proliferation retraction. Alkaline phosphatase was not detected at subconfluent or confluent densities, but this enzyme expressed high density, multilayers synthesise deposit an extracellular matrix all stages vitro development, including nodule formation. The within contains cross-striated collagen fibres vesicles. Needle-like crystals hydroxyapatite appear be deposited matrix, thus leading massive calcification nodule. Calcification, assessed electron microscopy, histochemical staining X-ray microprobe analysis, occurred on plastic substrate absence disodium-beta-glycerophosphate. addition compound 5 10 mM use a substratum (rather than plastic), brought forward process 3-6 days. Our results suggest may differentiate along osteogenic pathway.