pericyte

pericyte
One of the slender mesenchymal-like cells found in close association with the outside wall of postcapillary venules; it is relatively undifferentiated and may become a fibroblast, macrophage, or smooth muscle cell. SYN: adventitial cell, pericapillary cell, perithelial cell. [peri- + G. kytos, cell]

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peri·cyte 'per-ə-.sīt n a cell of the connective tissue about capillaries or other small blood vessels

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peri·cyte (perґe-sīt) [peri- + -cyte] a type of elongated cell having the power of contraction; these are found wrapped about the outside of precapillary arterioles, postcapillary venules, and capillaries. Called also adventitial, pericapillary, perithelial, or perivascular cell.

Pericyte, its processes wrapped around the capillary epithelium.


Medical dictionary. 2011.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pericyte — A pericyte, also known as Rouget cell [Rouget, CMB (1879). Sur la contractilité capillaires sanguins. Comptes rendus de l’Académie des Sciences 88: 916–918] or mural cell, is a mesenchymal like cell, associated with the walls of small blood… …   Wikipedia

  • Péricyte — Les péricytes[1],[2]sont des cellules localisées au niveau de la lame basale de l’endothélium des capillaires qu’elles entourent par de longs prolongements circonférentiels et cytoplasmiques. Bien que peu nombreux, les péricytes ont la capacité… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • pericyte — Cell associated with the walls of small blood vessels: not a smooth muscle cell, nor an endothelial cell …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • pericyte — noun A mesenchymal cell found wrapped around a capillary …   Wiktionary

  • pericyte — peri·cyte …   English syllables

  • pericyte — ˈperəˌsīt noun ( s) Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary peri + cyte : an adventitious cell of the connective tissue about capillaries or other small blood vessels that is variously regarded as a macrophage or a contractile element …   Useful english dictionary

  • adventitial cell — pericyte …   Medical dictionary

  • pericapillary cell — pericyte …   Medical dictionary

  • perithelial cell — pericyte …   Medical dictionary

  • perivascular cell — pericyte …   Medical dictionary

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