Role of the Vasa Vasorum and Vascular Resident Stem Cells in Atherosclerosis

Figure 1

Role of the vasa vasorum in atherosclerosis. In atherosclerotic plaque, the vasa vasorum leads to the microvascular leakage that is responsible for hemorrhage and accumulation of inflammatory cells within plaque. Vasa vasorum also serves as the vascular niche for the vascular-resident stem cells (VSCs), including multipotent pericytes and endothelial progenitor cells. Vasa vasorum acts not only as the blood conduit tube but also as a stem cell reservoir to supply VSCs into the intima. VSCs can differentiate into several cells, such as vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), endothelial cells (ECs), and fibroblasts, and can contribute to the atherosclerotic remodeling. Some of VSCs act as pericytes (PCs) to stabilize the vasculature, which attenuate the leakage of blood cells within plaques.