UCLA

Objective

Previous genetic lineage tracing studies showed that Sox10⁺ cells differentiate into vascular mural cells, limited to neural crest-derived blood vessels in craniofacial tissues, aortic arch, pulmonary arch arteries, brachiocephalic, carotid arteries, and thymus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of Sox10⁺ cells to the vascular development in other tissues and organs and their relationship with neural crest.

Approach and results

Using genetic lineage tracing technique based on Cre/LoxP system, we examined blood vessels in the adult organs of the mice expressing Sox10-Cre/Rosa-LoxP-red fluorescent protein or Wnt1-Cre/Rosa-LoxP-red fluorescent protein by immunohistological analysis. In addition to previously reported tissues and organs derived from neural crest, we showed that Sox10⁺ cells also contributed to vascular mural cells in the lung, spleen, and kidney, which are derived from non-neural crest origin as evidenced by red fluorescent protein-negative blood vessels in these 3 organs of Wnt1-Cre/Rosa-LoxP-red fluorescent protein mice.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that Sox10⁺ cells contribute to pericytes and smooth muscle cells in most parts of the body, including those from neural crest and non-neural crest, which has significant implications in vascular remodeling under physiological and pathological conditions.