Endothelial cells (ECs) are more than inert blood vessel lining material. Instead, they are
active players in the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) both in health and (life …

The circulatory system is the first organ system to develop in the vertebrate embryo and is
critical throughout gestation for the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to, as well as removal of …

Normal tables of development are essential for studies of embryogenesis, serving as an
important resource for model organisms, including the frog Xenopus laevis. Xenopus has …

Tube and lumen formation are essential steps in forming a functional vasculature. Despite
their significance, our understanding of these processes remains limited, especially at the …

Costimulatory signals are required for activation of immune cells, but it is not known whether
they contribute to other biological systems. The development and homeostasis of the …

The zebrafish has emerged as an excellent vertebrate model system for studying blood and
lymphatic vascular development. The small size, external and rapid development, and …

Vascular development is a complex but orderly process that is tightly regulated. A number of
secreted factors produced by surrounding cells regulate endothelial cell (EC) differentiation …

After its initial formation the epicardium forms the outermost cell layer of the heart. As a result
of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) individual cells delaminate from this …

The formation of a hierarchical vascular network, composed of arteries, veins, and
capillaries, is essential for embryogenesis and is required for the production of new …

Recent findings strongly suggest that the molecular pathways involved in the development
and function of blood cells are highly conserved among vertebrates and various invertebrate …