Sex influences gliovascular unit assembly and function in the developing mouse brain

Sex influences gliovascular unit assembly and function in the developing mouse brain | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Sex influences gliovascular unit assembly and function in the developing mouse brain Martine Cohen-Salmon, Lucie Lemale, Myriam Abioui-Mourgues, Rodrigo Alvear-Perez, and 6 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9313012/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The gliovascular unit (GVU), a specialized interface between the brain and the vascular system, assembles and matures after birth and establishes essential homeostatic functions, including blood–brain barrier integrity, metabolic exchanges, fluid drainage, neurovascular coupling, and immune surveillance. Here, we systematically compared the postnatal maturation of the cortical GVU in male vs. female mice. On P15, males exhibited a transiently greater vessel density and a higher level of aquaporin 4 expression in perivascular astrocyte processes. Females exhibited a higher density of perivascular macrophages expressing the lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (Lyve-1), along with earlier development of arterial vascular smooth muscle cells and greater cerebral blood flow. Transcriptomic profiling during the P5–P120 period revealed sex-specific developmental trajectories within the GVU, with the most prominent differences on P5. Taken as a whole, our results highlight pronounced sex-dependent differences in GVU assembly, GVU maturation, and the development of molecular programs that might influence brain physiology and vulnerability to neurodevelopmental disorders. Biological sciences/Neuroscience Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Development of the nervous system/Glial development Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Blood–brain barrier Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Neuro–vascular interactions Gliovascular unit Sex Male Female Brain Development Vessel Astrocyte Pericyte Vascular smooth muscle cell Fibroblast Macrophage Cerebral blood flow Transcriptome Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files rs.pdf Reporting Summary Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9313012","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":626835036,"identity":"1ab1e35f-370b-4976-a7aa-43d289508177","order_by":0,"name":"Martine 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