The Role of Pericytes in the Articular Environment—a Review

Purpose of review Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic disease involving joints. The limited intrinsic regeneration potential of articular cartilage (AC) tissue poses a big challenge from a therapeutic perspective. Recent findings Treatment options for OA are sparse, and investigators have turned to the use of mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSCs/MPCs) or minimally manipulated tissues containing such stem-like cells for therapeutic purposes. Pericytes are present within the microvasculature and demonstrate features consistent with a cellular forerunner of culture-derived MSCs/MPCs. Summary In this review, we provide an overview on the role of pericytes in OA pathophysiology and their potential application as an injectable cell therapy for cartilage injury and repair.