Apelin signaling acts as a molecular switch between endothelial and hematopoietic stem cell fates

ABSTRACT: Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) emerge from arterial endothelial cells (ECs) through a process termed endothelial-to-hematopoietic-transition (EHT), a process induced by paracrine signals and driven by a transcriptional cascade. Despite inductive signals being broadly received by ECs in the dorsal aorta (DA), only a subset of ECs undergoes EHT, while others maintain their vascular identity. The molecular mechanisms that determine this selective fate decision remain poorly understood. Here, we discover Apelin signaling as a critical regulator of cell fates in the DA, acting as a molecular switch to balance vascular and hematopoietic identities. We show that Apelin receptor (Aplnr)-expressing ECs retain their arterial identity, while aplnr non-expressing ECs are primed to b

SUBMITTER: Christian, S.M. Helker 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44319-025-00656-6 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other