2022 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 13-17
Perivascular macrophages (PVMs) are a unique cell population of tissue-resident macrophages characterized by their close association with blood vessels and specific expression makers in certain tissues. PVMs are found in the inner ear, brain, skin, liver, and retina. Intrastrial macrophages are classified into PVMs and control vascular permeability as a member of the blood strial barrier. PVMs in the stria vascularis also have a phagocytic function against foreign substances, pathogens, and deposits or waste material and degenerated cells in the tissues. The morphology of PVMs is similar to that of microglia in the central nervous system and might be activated by excessive melanin granules in the stria vascularis. Macrophage activation is remarkable in the ears of the Slc26a4 KO mouse.
