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Localization of VEGF‐B in the mouse embryo suggests a paracrine role of the growth factor in the developing vasculature
Author(s) -
Aase Karin,
Lymboussaki Athina,
Kaipainen Arja,
Olofsson Birgitta,
Alitalo Kari,
Eriksson Ulf
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0177(199905)215:1<12::aid-dvdy3>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - paracrine signalling , biology , vascular endothelial growth factor , in situ hybridization , autocrine signalling , endocrinology , medicine , vascular endothelial growth factor c , embryo , angiogenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , embryonic stem cell , vascular endothelial growth factor b , receptor , vascular endothelial growth factor a , vegf receptors , messenger rna , cancer research , gene , genetics
Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF‐B) is structurally closely related to VEGF and binds one of its receptors, VEGFR‐1. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were used to localize VEGF‐B mRNA and protein in embryonic mouse tissues. In 8.5–17.5 day embryos, VEGF‐B was most prominently expressed in the developing myocardium, but not in the cardiac cushion tissue. The strong expression in the heart persisted at later developmental stages, while weaker signals were obtained from several other tissues, including developing muscle, bone, pancreas, adrenal gland, and from the smooth muscle cell layer of several larger vessels, but not from endothelial cells. VEGF‐B is likely to act in a paracrine fashion, as its receptor is almost exclusively present in endothelial cells. VEGF‐B may have a role in vascularization of the heart, skeletal muscles and developing bones, and in paracrine interactions between endothelial and surrounding muscle cells. Dev Dyn 1999;215:12–25 . © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.