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VEGFR‐3 and VEGF‐C: newcomers in the neurovascular cross‐talk
Author(s) -
Thomas JeanLéon
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a197-a
Subject(s) - neurogenesis , embryonic stem cell , neural stem cell , biology , vascular endothelial growth factor , progenitor cell , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroscience , neural development , central nervous system , cancer research , stem cell , vegf receptors , genetics , gene
Several molecules involved in the development of both vascular and nervous systems have recently been identified, suggesting common molecular control mechanisms of, for example, axonal and capillary guidance or endothelial and neural proliferation and survival. We have shown that the lymphangiogenic factor VEGF‐C (vascular endothelial growth factor‐C) is expressed by neural cells in the embryonic central nervous system (CNS) and promotes the proliferation and migration of neural precursors (Le Bras et al., 2006). We are now investigating the role of VEGFR‐3, the specific receptor of VEGF‐C/D, in embryonic and postnatal neurogenesis. Using loss and gain of function experiments in different animal models, we examine VEGFR‐3 requirement by both progenitors cells in the neurogenic niches and postmitotic neurons in the thalamus. In the human, we also explore a possible implication of VEGF‐C/VEGFR‐3 in the biology of neural stem cells in both the embryo and brain tumors.