Fibronectins in vascular morphogenesis.
Fibronectin is an extracellular matrix protein found only in vertebrate organisms containing endothelium-lined vasculature and is required for cardiovascular development in fish and mice. Fibronectin and its splice variants containing EIIIA and EIIIB domains are highly upregulated around newly developing vasculature during embryogenesis and in pathological conditions including atherosclerosis, cardiac hypertrophy, and tumorigenesis. However, their molecular roles in these processes are not entirely understood. We review genetic studies examining functions of fibronectin and its splice variants during embryonic cardiovascular development, and discuss potential roles of fibronectin in vascular disease and tumor angiogenesis.
Astrof
Sophie
S
Greenberg Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA. soa2004@med.cornell.edu
Hynes
Richard O
RO
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D009024:Morphogenesis
D005353:Fibronectins; D016023:Integrins