Regulation of blood and lymphatic vascular separation by signaling proteins SLP-76 and Syk

F Abtahian, A Guerriero, E Sebzda, MM Lu, R Zhou… - Science, 2003 - science.org
F Abtahian, A Guerriero, E Sebzda, MM Lu, R Zhou, A Mocsai, EE Myers, B Huang…
Science, 2003science.org
Lymphatic vessels develop from specialized endothelial cells in preexisting blood vessels,
but the molecular signals that regulate this separation are unknown. Here we identify a
failure to separate emerging lymphatic vessels from blood vessels in mice lacking the
hematopoietic signaling protein SLP-76 or Syk. Blood-lymphatic connections lead to
embryonic hemorrhage and arteriovenous shunting. Expression of slp-76 could not be
detected in endothelial cells, and blood-filled lymphatics also arose in wild-type mice …
Lymphatic vessels develop from specialized endothelial cells in preexisting blood vessels, but the molecular signals that regulate this separation are unknown. Here we identify a failure to separate emerging lymphatic vessels from blood vessels in mice lacking the hematopoietic signaling protein SLP-76 or Syk. Blood-lymphatic connections lead to embryonic hemorrhage and arteriovenous shunting. Expression of slp-76 could not be detected in endothelial cells, and blood-filled lymphatics also arose in wild-type mice reconstituted with SLP-76–deficient bone marrow. These studies reveal a hematopoietic signaling pathway required for separation of the two major vascular networks in mammals.
AAAS