Grant: Operating Grant

The vascular system (blood and vessels) arises from the same initial cell population which differentiates into different cell types. Blood and vessels are the first to differentiate. Next arteries and veins form, and finally all the smaller vessels of animals form from the initial first vessels. We are studying the genetic mechanisms that lead to these different 'choices'. In particular, the choice between artery and vein has great clinical impact- up to 1% of the population has cerebral cavernous mutations where arterial and venous blood mix due to improper vessel development. Arteries have different origins, properties and structures as compared to veins. We are interested in how these differences arise at the genetic level. We use the transparent zebrafish model to identify new genes and manipulate their expression. In this proposal we will study the Islet2 and the CoupTFII transcription factors in their role in vein development and sprouting of new blood vessels. We will determine how they work at the molecular level, and whether they interact. We will also study the Numb protein, which affects blood development to determine how it guides cells to their fates.