[PDF][PDF] Symmetrical mutant phenotypes of the receptor EphB4 and its specific transmembrane ligand ephrin-B2 in cardiovascular development

SS Gerety, HU Wang, ZF Chen, DJ Anderson - Molecular cell, 1999 - cell.com
SS Gerety, HU Wang, ZF Chen, DJ Anderson
Molecular cell, 1999cell.com
Ephrin-B2 is a transmembrane ligand that is specifically expressed on arteries but not veins
and that is essential for cardiovascular development. However, ephrin-B2 is also expressed
in nonvascular tissues and interacts with multiple EphB class receptors expressed in both
endothelial and nonendothelial cell types. Thus, the identity of the relevant receptor for
ephrin-B2 and the site (s) where these molecules interact to control angiogenesis were not
clear. Here we show that EphB4, a specific receptor for ephrin-B2, is exclusively expressed …
Abstract
Ephrin-B2 is a transmembrane ligand that is specifically expressed on arteries but not veins and that is essential for cardiovascular development. However, ephrin-B2 is also expressed in nonvascular tissues and interacts with multiple EphB class receptors expressed in both endothelial and nonendothelial cell types. Thus, the identity of the relevant receptor for ephrin-B2 and the site(s) where these molecules interact to control angiogenesis were not clear. Here we show that EphB4, a specific receptor for ephrin-B2, is exclusively expressed by vascular endothelial cells in embryos and is preferentially expressed on veins. A targeted mutation in EphB4 essentially phenocopies the mutation in ephrin-B2. These data indicate that ephrin-B2–EphB4 interactions are intrinsically required in vascular endothelial cells and are consistent with the idea that they mediate bidirectional signaling essential for angiogenesis.
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