The recruitment of perivascular cells to developing microvessels is a key component of microvessel assembly. Whereas platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling is critical for this process during embryonic development, its role from the postnatal stages through adulthood remains unclear. We investigated the potential role of PDGF signaling during microvessel assembly by measuring in vivo the migration of labeled fibroblasts to PDGF in mesenteric connective tissue and by examining PDGF-B and PDGF receptor-beta (PGDFR-beta) expression in microvascular networks during normal maturation. PDGF-B homodimer (PDGF-BB; 30 ng/ml) application elicited a significant (P < 0.05) increase (7.8 +/- 4.1 cells) in labeled fibroblasts within 100 microm of the source micropipette after 2 h. PDGF-A homodimer (30 ng/ml) application and control solution did not elicit directed migration. PDGF-B was expressed in microvessel endothelium and smooth muscle, whereas PDGFR-beta was expressed in endothelium, smooth muscle, and interstitial fibroblasts. Given that PDGF-BB elicits fibroblast migration in the mesentery and that PDGF-B and PDGFR-beta are expressed in a pattern that indicates paracrine signaling from microvessels to the interstitium, the results are consistent with a role for PDGF-B in perivascular cell recruitment to microvessels.