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Renal pericytes: regulators of medullary blood flow

Kennedy-Lydon, T. M., Crawford, C., Wildman, Scott S.P., Peppiatt-Wildman, Claire M. (2012) Renal pericytes: regulators of medullary blood flow. Acta Physiologica, 207 (2). pp. 212-225. ISSN 1748-1708. (doi:10.1111/apha.12026) (KAR id:53102)

Abstract

Regulation of medullary blood flow (MBF) is essential in maintaining normal kidney function. Blood flow to the medulla is supplied by the descending vasa recta (DVR), which arise from the efferent arterioles of juxtamedullary glomeruli. DVR are composed of a continuous endothelium, intercalated with smooth muscle-like cells called pericytes. Pericytes have been shown to alter the diameter of isolated and in situ DVR in response to vasoactive stimuli that are transmitted via a network of autocrine and paracrine signalling pathways. Vasoactive stimuli can be released by neighbouring tubular epithelial, endothelial, red blood cells and neuronal cells in response to changes in NaCl transport and oxygen tension. The experimentally described sensitivity of pericytes to these stimuli strongly suggests their leading role in the phenomenon of MBF autoregulation. Because the debate on autoregulation of MBF fervently continues, we discuss the evidence favouring a physiological role for pericytes in the regulation of MBF and describe their potential role in tubulo-vascular cross-talk in this region of the kidney. Our review also considers current methods used to explore pericyte activity and function in the renal medulla.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/apha.12026
Subjects: R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Medway School of Pharmacy
Depositing User: Scott S.P. Wildman
Date Deposited: 10 Dec 2015 17:16 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:22 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/53102 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Wildman, Scott S.P..

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Peppiatt-Wildman, Claire M..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4406-8571
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