Vascular niche

The vascular niche is a specialized microenvironment composed of endothelial cells, perivascular cells (such as pericytes), and extracellular matrix components that collectively regulate the maintenance, self-renewal, and differentiation of stem cells (PubMed: 21885785). It serves as a critical regulatory hub in various tissues, most notably the bone marrow and the brain, where it provides physical support and biochemical signals such as growth factors and cytokines (Nature: 10.1038/nature11818). In the context of hematopoiesis, the vascular niche facilitates the trafficking of hematopoietic stem cells between the bone marrow and the peripheral circulation and is essential for blood cell production (NIH: PMC3151515). Pathologically, the vascular niche is often hijacked in cancer, where it supports the survival of cancer stem cells and promotes tumor progression, metastasis, and resistance to conventional therapies (PubMed: 24507157). While the niche itself is an anatomical structure rather than a single molecular target, it is a major focus of therapeutic intervention through the targeting of its constituent signaling pathways, such as VEGF, Notch, and CXCR4/CXCL12, to treat hematologic malignancies and solid tumors (PubMed: 28611475).

Other names

Perivascular nicheEndothelial nicheHematopoietic stem cell vascular nicheTumor vascular niche

Modulation of the microenvironment through inhibition of angiogenic signaling or disruption of cell-cell adhesion to mobilize stem cells or inhibit tumor growth.