title: Membrane-mediated regulation of vascular identity.
abstract: Vascular diseases span diverse pathology, but frequently arise from aberrant signaling attributed to specific membrane-associated molecules, particularly the Eph-ephrin family. Originally recognized as markers of embryonic vessel identity, Eph receptors and their membrane-associated ligands, ephrins, are now known to have a range of vital functions in vascular physiology. Interactions of Ephs with ephrins at cell-to-cell interfaces promote a variety of cellular responses such as repulsion, adhesion, attraction, and migration, and frequently occur during organ development, including vessel formation. Elaborate coordination of Eph- and ephrin-related signaling among different cell populations is required for proper formation of the embryonic vessel network. There is growing evidence supporting the idea that Eph and ephrin proteins also have postnatal interactions with a number of other membrane-associated signal transduction pathways, coordinating translation of environmental signals into cells. This article provides an overview of membrane-bound signaling mechanisms that define vascular identity in both the embryo and the adult, focusing on Eph- and ephrin-related signaling. We also discuss the role and clinical significance of this signaling system in normal organ development, neoplasms, and vascular pathologies.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.|Department of Surgery, VA Connecticut Healthcare Systems, West Haven, Connecticut.|Department of Vascular Surgery, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Biology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuneki
authors.affiliation: The Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Trenton R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: The Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Jeans M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: The Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.|Department of Vascular Surgery, The 1st Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Hualong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: The Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Mo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Haidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: The Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Jesse J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hanisch
authors.affiliation: The Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.|Department of Surgery, VA Connecticut Healthcare Systems, West Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dardik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development; D036342:Ephrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008566:Membranes / Q000502:physiology; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D036342:Ephrins; D008024:Ligands; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family
keywords: EphB4; angiosarcoma; caveolae; embryo; ephrinB2; vascular development