Stable vascular connections and remodeling require full expression of VE-cadherin in zebrafish embryos.

ABSTRACT:

Background

VE-cadherin is an endothelial specific, transmembrane protein, that clusters at adherens junctions where it promotes homotypic cell-cell adhesion. VE-cadherin null mutation in the mouse results in early fetal lethality due to altered vascular development. However, the mechanism of action of VE-cadherin is complex and, in the mouse embryo, it is difficult to define the specific steps of vascular development in which this protein is involved.

Methodology and principal findings

In order to study the role VE-cadherin in the development of the vascular system in a more suitable model, we knocked down the expression of the coding gene in zebrafish. The novel findings reported here are: 1) partial reduction of VE-cadherin expression using low doses of morpholinos causes

SUBMITTER: Montero-Balaguer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2685470 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature