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Endothelial cells and VEGF in vascular development

Abstract

The intricate patterning processes that establish the complex vascular system during development depend on a combination of intrinsic pre-patterning and extrinsic responses to environmental parameters. Mutational studies in mice and fish have shown that the vascular system is highly sensitive to genetic disruption and have identified potential targets for therapeutic interventions. New insights into non-vascular roles of vascular endothelial growth factor and the requirement for endothelial cells in adult organs and stem-cell niches highlight possible side effects of anti-angiogenic therapy and the need for new targets.

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Figure 1: Murine embryonic vasculature.
Figure 2: Formation of a functional circulation from endothelial progenitors.
Figure 3: Vascular development along the mammalian body axis.
Figure 4: Formation of the fetal vasculature in the chorio-allantoic placenta.
Figure 5: Endothelial cells provide a niche for haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Quaggin (Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada) for unpublished results, J. Walls (Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada) for assistance with preparation of Fig. 1, and M. Hirashima (Keio University, Tokyo, Japan) and members of the Rossant laboratory for helpful discussions. J.R. is a distinguished investigator of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. L.C. is a postdoctoral fellow of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and K.C. is a C. J. Martin Fellow of the Australian National Health and Medical Council.

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Supplementary Table 1

Mutations of genes involved in vasculo–angiogenesis (DOC 225 kb)

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Coultas, L., Chawengsaksophak, K. & Rossant, J. Endothelial cells and VEGF in vascular development. Nature 438, 937–945 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04479

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