Neural pericytes: A genomic archival state programmed by CHromatin topology

Accumulating evidence suggests that mural pericytes, apart from stabilizing the associated microvessels, play additional roles in regeneration of local cellular elements. Herein, the mechanistic basis for such diverse and at times contradictory roles adopted by pericytes in the brain is reviewed. Core concepts of an emerging model are discussed wherein mural pericytes reside in a metastable “archival state” that conceals a neural progenitor identity. Upon angiogenic remodeling, a selected subpopulation of pericytes reclaim the progenitor state during transdifferentiation and contribute to neural regeneration. The genomic basis for neural transdifferentiation of pericytes is reviewed with reference to the extant literature. •Neural microvascular pericytes resides in a metastable state.•Combination of hypoxia and attenuated mechanotransduction leads to neural transdifferentiation of pericytes.•The transcriptional landscape of pericytes silences the competing neural differentiation program.•Localised destabilisation of higher-order chromatin topology of pericytes leads to emergence of the competing neural differentiation program.