It's all Connected: Remote Effects of Focal Capillary Regression

A gradual loss of capillary density occurs with normal aging and is exacerbated by vascular pathologies associated with dementia. Recent studies also showed that the capillary network behaves like a sensory web, conducting signals upstream during physiological blood flow control. However, it was unknown how this network behaves with capillary regression. A new PNAS paper recently published by Dr. Stephanie Bonney, Cara Nielson and Maria Sosa used precise laser ablations to remove individual capillary segments from the capillary network. Surprisingly, they found that loss of capillaries led to upstream vasoconstriction lasting several weeks and leading to reduced perfusion of downstream capillaries. These findings suggest that capillary regression add new insight into how capillary regression is linked to cerebral hypoperfusion in age-related diseases. See also, a great commentary written by Prof. Baptiste Lacoste.