Renal pericytes have been neglected for many years, but recently they have become an
intensively studied cell population in renal biology and pathophysiology. Pericytes are
stromal cells that support vasculature, and a subset of pericytes are mesenchymal stem
cells. In kidney, pericytes have been reported to play critical roles in angiogenesis,
regulation of renal medullary and cortical blood flow, and serve as progenitors of interstitial
myofibroblasts in renal fibrogenesis. They interact with endothelial cells through distinct …