Laminin differentially regulates the stemness of type I and type II pericytes

BACKGROUND: Laminin, a major basement membrane component that has direct contact with pericytes under physiological conditions, actively regulates the proliferation and differentiation/fate determination of pericytes. Recently, two types of pericytes (type I and type II) with different molecular markers and functions have been identified in skeletal muscles. Whether laminin differentially regulates the proliferation and differentiation of these two subpopulations remains unclear. METHODS: Wild-type and pericytic laminin-deficient mice under Nestin-GFP background were used to determine if laminin differentially regulates the proliferation and differentiation of type I and type II pericytes. Specifically, type I and type II pericytes were isolated from these mice, and their proliferation and differentiation were examined in vitro. Moreover, in vivo studies were also performed. RESULTS: We demonstrate that, although laminin inhibits the proliferation of both type I and type II pericytes in vitro, loss of laminin predominantly induces proliferation of type II pericytes in vivo. In addition, laminin negatively regulates the adipogenic differentiation of type I pericytes and positively regulates the myogenic differentiation of type II pericytes in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Laminin differentially regulates the proliferation and differentiation of type I and type II pericytes. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-017-0479-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.