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β1 integrin expression on endothelial cells is required for angiogenesis but not for vasculogenesis
Author(s) -
Tanjore Harikrishna,
Zeisberg Elisabeth M.,
GeramiNaini Behzad,
Kalluri Raghu
Publication year - 2008
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/dvdy.21385
Subject(s) - vasculogenesis , biology , angiogenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , integrin , embryonic stem cell , endothelial stem cell , embryo , sprouting angiogenesis , morphogenesis , chorioallantoic membrane , immunology , neovascularization , cell , cancer research , stem cell , genetics , progenitor cell , in vitro , gene
Integrins are a family of cell adhesion receptors that are involved in cell–matrix and cell–cell communications. They facilitate cell proliferation, migration, and survival. Using the Cre‐Lox system, we deleted β1 integrin on Tie2‐positive (Tie2‐cre β1 Int fl/fl ) vascular endothelial cells. Deletion of β1 integrin on vascular endothelial cells results in embryonic lethality. Blood vessel defects are encountered in the Tie2‐Cre β1 Int fl/fl embryos at embryonic age (E9.5), and embryos die before reaching E10.5. The embryos exhibit growth retardation and both histological evaluation and PECAM‐1 staining of E9.5 embryos revealed defects in angiogenic sprouting and vascular branching morphogenesis. Large and medium‐size vessel formation is not affected in these embryos. Angiogenic defects were observed in several regions of the embryo and yolk sacs. These results indicate that β1 integrin expression on vascular endothelial cells is crucial for embryonic angiogenesis but dispensable for vasculogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 237:75–82, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.