Wang Yanhui, Zhang Xiaoyun, Li Xin, Cheng Min, Cui Xiaodong
Medical Physiology Laboratory, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.
Front Cell Dev Biol. 2025 Mar 6;13:1544129. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1544129. eCollection 2025.
The vascular microenvironment comprises of anatomical structures, extracellular matrix components, and various cell populations, which play a crucial role in regulating vascular homeostasis and influencing vascular structure and function. Under physiological conditions, intrinsic regulation of the vascular microenvironment is required to sustain vascular homeostasis. In contrast, under pathological conditions, alterations to this microenvironment lead to vascular injury and pathological remodeling. According to the anatomy, the vascular microenvironment can be subdivided into three sections from the inside out. The vascular endothelial microenvironment, centered on vascular endothelial cells (VECs), includes the extracellular matrix and various vascular physicochemical factors. The VECs interact with vascular physicochemical factors to regulate the function of various parenchymal cells, including hepatocytes, neurons and tumor cells. The vascular wall microenvironment, comprising the vasa vasorum and their unique stem/progenitor cell niches, plays a pivotal role in vascular inflammation and pathological remodeling. Additionally, the perivascular microenvironment, which includes perivascular adipose tissue, consists of adipocytes and stem cells, which contribute to the pathological processes of atherosclerosis. It is anticipated that targeted regulation of the vascular microenvironment will emerge as a novel approach for the treatment of various diseases. Accordingly, this review will examine the structure of the vascular microenvironment, the regulation of vascular function by vascular cells and stem/progenitor cells, and the role of the vascular microenvironment in regulating cardiovascular diseases.
血管微环境由解剖结构、细胞外基质成分和各种细胞群体组成，它们在调节血管稳态以及影响血管结构和功能方面发挥着关键作用。在生理条件下，需要对血管微环境进行内在调节以维持血管稳态。相反，在病理条件下，这种微环境的改变会导致血管损伤和病理重塑。根据解剖结构，血管微环境可由内向外分为三个部分。以血管内皮细胞（VECs）为中心的血管内皮微环境，包括细胞外基质和各种血管物理化学因子。VECs与血管物理化学因子相互作用，以调节包括肝细胞、神经元和肿瘤细胞在内的各种实质细胞的功能。由血管滋养管及其独特的干/祖细胞龛组成的血管壁微环境，在血管炎症和病理重塑中起关键作用。此外，包括血管周围脂肪组织在内的血管周围微环境由脂肪细胞和干细胞组成，它们促成动脉粥样硬化的病理过程。预计对血管微环境的靶向调节将成为治疗各种疾病的一种新方法。因此，本综述将研究血管微环境的结构、血管细胞和干/祖细胞对血管功能的调节，以及血管微环境在调节心血管疾病中的作用。
