About this Research Topic

Background

Capillaries are the most numerous vessels type and the site of oxygen and nutrient exchange. In recent years, several studies have defined capillary properties at the molecular, physiological, and functional level. Despite their crucial physiological functions, their role in disease (e.g., neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative) only recently gained more attention. Advances in technologies such as high temporal high-resolution in vivo imaging, genetic cell-type-specific strategies, electrophysiological recording, and single-cell sequencing have enabled the detailed analyses and characterization of the cerebral capillaries.

Capillaries comprise unique structural and functional features. At the arteriole-capillary transition site, pericytes replace smooth muscle cells. Pericytes surrounding capillary endothelial cells have contractile properties, thereby contributing to the regulation of brain blood flow. Also, capillaries are covered by astrocytic endfeet processes. Together, these cell-to-cell interactions play an essential role in brain hemostasis. On average, every neuron is ~15 μm away from the next capillary. Thus, capillary blood flow is presumably crucial for cognitive function. Overall, these features highlight the unique structural adaptations that allow for the exquisite regulation and interplay, maintaining brain function.

Capillaries diameters are very small. Only single cells can pass through a capillary, and this likely change adhesiveness, oxygen delivery and ultimately, neuronal function. These structural characteristics contribute to key biomechanical properties, such as high shear stress and vascular resistance. Many blood and immune cells, such as leukocytes, peripheral macrophages, and red blood cells need to deform to enter the capillaries. This deformability is impacted during aging and in diseases such as leukostasis and sickle-cell anemia. The interaction of immune and blood cells with capillary endothelial cells in capillaries is likely different from that in larger vessels, particularly under chronic inflammation associated with disease states.

In this Research Topic, experts including vascular biologists across fields, neuroscientists, and immunologists will provide the current understanding of microvascular function in health, during aging, and in disease. Submissions considered are Original Research, Methods, Review, Mini-Review, Hypothesis and Theory, Perspective, Clinical Trial, Case Report, and Opinion articles covering the whole spectrum of microvascular function.

1) Dissecting the molecular pathways leading to capillary dysfunction
2) Understanding the metabolite exchange in the brain capillaries and its role in neuronal activity
3) New technologies to advance the analyses of the capillaries and individual capillaries
4) Screening to identify new biomarkers that specifically detect capillaries dysfunction
5) Variations of the brain microvasculature across individuals, brain regions, sex, ….
6) Potential therapeutic strategies to restore capillary dysfunction to improve neurological symptoms
7) Insights on the microvascular organization from pre-capillary arterioles to post-venules capillaries
8) Brain capillary modeling to better understand flow dynamics in aging and disease.
9) Identify brain capillary specific genetic markers
10) Intercellular crosstalk at the capillary level
11) Brain capillary obstructions in disease

Keywords: Brain capillary, biomarkers, new technology, brain microvasculature, molecular pathways, capillary dysfunction

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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