Main description:

The formation of blood vessels is an essential aspect of embryogenesis in vertebrates.  It is a central feature of numerous post–embryonic processes, including tissue and organ growth and regeneration.  It is also part of the pathology of tumour formation and certain inflammatory conditions.

In recent years, comprehension of the molecular genetics of blood vessel formation has progressed enormously and studies in vertebrate model systems, especially the mouse and the zebrafish, have identified a common set of molecules and processes that are conserved throughout vertebrate embryogenesis while, in addition, highlighting aspects that may differ between different animal groups.

The discovery in the past decade of the crucial role of new blood vessel formation for the development of cancers has generated great interest in angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels from pre–existing ones), with its major implications for potential cancer–control strategies. In addition, there are numerous situations where therapeutic treatments either require or would be assisted by vasculogenesis (the de novo formation of blood vessels).  In particular, post–stroke therapies could include treatments that stimulate neovascularization of the affected tissues.

The development of such treatments, however, requires thoroughly understanding the developmental properties of endothelial cells and the basic biology of blood vessel formation.

While there are many books on angiogenesis, this book focuses on exactly this basic biology and explores blood vessel formation in connection with tissue development in a range of animal models. It includes detailed discussions of relevant cell biology, genetics and embryogenesis of blood vessel formation and presents insights into the cross–talk between developing blood vessels and other tissues.

With contributions from vascular biologists, cell biologists and developmental biologists, a comprehensive and highly interdisciplinary volume is the outcome.

Back cover:

The formation of blood vessels is an essential aspect of embryogenesis in vertebrates.  It is a central feature of numerous post–embryonic processes, including tissue and organ growth and regeneration.  It is also part of the pathology of tumour formation and certain inflammatory conditions.

In recent years, comprehension of the molecular genetics of blood vessel formation has progressed enormously and studies in vertebrate model systems, especially the mouse and the zebrafish, have identified a common set of molecules and processes that are conserved throughout vertebrate embryogenesis while, in addition, highlighting aspects that may differ between different animal groups.

The discovery in the past decade of the crucial role of new blood vessel formation for the development of cancers has generated great interest in angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels from pre–existing ones), with its major implications for potential cancer–control strategies. In addition, there are numerous situations where therapeutic treatments either require or would be assisted by vasculogenesis (the de novo formation of blood vessels).  In particular, post–stroke therapies could include treatments that stimulate neovascularization of the affected tissues.

The development of such treatments, however, requires thoroughly understanding the developmental properties of endothelial cells and the basic biology of blood vessel formation.

While there are many books on angiogenesis, this book focuses on exactly this basic biology and explores blood vessel formation in connection with tissue development in a range of animal models. It includes detailed discussions of relevant cell biology, genetics and embryogenesis of blood vessel formation and presents insights into the cross–talk between developing blood vessels and other tissues.

With contributions from vascular biologists, cell biologists and developmental biologists, a comprehensive and highly interdisciplinary volume is the outcome.

Contents:

Christer Betsholtz Chair s introduction 1

Maria Grazia Lampugnani and Elisabetta Dejana The control of endothelial cell functions by adherens junctions 4

Discussion 13

Maike Schmidt, Ann De Mazière, Tanya Smyczek, Alane Gray, Leon Parker, Ellen Filvaroff, Dorothy French, Suzanne van Dijk, Judith Klumperman and Weilan Ye The role of Egfl 7 in vascular morphogenesis 18

Discussion 28

Max Levin, Andrew J. Ewald, Martin McMahon, Zena Werb and Keith Mostov A model of intussusceptive angiogenesis 37

Discussion 42

Tomá Kucera, Jan Eglinger, Boris Strilic and Eckhard Lammert
Vascular lumen formation from a cell biological perspective 46

Discussion 56

Christopher J. Drake, Paul A. Fleming and W. Scott Argraves
The genetics of vasculogenesis 61

Discussion 71

Steven Suchting, Catarina Freitas, Ferdinand le Noble, Rui Benedito, Christiane Bréant, Antonio Duarte and Anne Eichmann Negative regulators of vessel patterning 77

Discussion 80

Taija Mäkinen and Kari Alitalo Lymphangiogenesis in development and disease 87

Discussion 98

Irene Noguera–Troise, Christopher Daly, Nicholas J. Papadopoulos, Sandra Coetzee, Pat Boland, Nicholas W. Gale, Hsin Chieh Lin, George D. Yancopoulos and Gavin Thurston Blockade of Dll4 inhibits tumour growth by promoting non–productive angiogenesis 106

Discussion 121

Georg Breier, Alexander H. Licht, Anke Nicolaus, Anne Klotzsche, Ben Wielockx and Zuzana Kirsnerova HIF in vascular development and tumour angiogenesis 126

Discussion 133

Karina Yaniv, Sumio Isogai, Daniel Castranova, Louis Dye, Jiro Hitomi and Brant M. Weinstein Imaging the developing lymphatic system using the zebrafish 139

Discussion 148

Frances High and Jonathan A. Epstein Signalling pathways regulating cardiac neural crest migration and differentiation 152

Discussion 161

Ralf H. Adams Investigation of the angiogenic programme with tissue–specific and inducible genetic approaches in mice 165

Discussion 171

Gary K. Owens Molecular control of vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation and phenotypic plasticity 174

Discussion 191

Andrea Lundkvist, Sunyoung Lee, Luisa Iruela–Arispe, Christer Betsholtz and Holger Gerhardt Growth factor gradients in vascular patterning 194

Discussion 201

Deborah A. Freedman, Yasushige Kashima and Kenneth S. Zaret
Endothelial cell promotion of early liver and pancreas development 207

Discussion 216

Jörg Wilting, Kerstin Buttler, Jochen Rössler, Susanne Norgall, Lothar Schweigerer, Herbert A. Weich and Maria Papoutsi
Embryonic development and malformation of lymphatic vessels 220

Discussion 227

Joaquim Miguel Vieira, Quenten Schwarz and Christiana Ruhrberg
Role of the neuropilin ligands VEGF164 and SEMA3A in neuronal and vascular patterning in the mouse 230

Discussion 235

Final discussion 238

Tracheal tube development in Drosophila 238

Closing remarks 240

Contributor index 242

Subject index 244