Cell Biology Commons^™

Moesin1 And Ve-Cadherin Are Required In Endothelial Cells During In Vivo Tubulogenesis, Ying Wang, Mark S. Kaiser, Jon D. Larson, Aidas Nasevicius, Karl J. Clark, Shannon A. Wadman, Sharon E. Roberg-Perez, Stephen C. Ekker, Perry B. Hackett, Maura Mcgrail, Jeffrey J. Essner

Genetics, Development and Cell Biology Publications

Endothelial tubulogenesis is a crucial step in the formation of functional blood vessels during angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. Here, we use in vivo imaging of living zebrafish embryos expressing fluorescent fusion proteins of β-Actin, α-Catenin, and the ERM family member Moesin1 (Moesin a), to define a novel cord hollowing process that occurs during the initial stages of tubulogenesis in intersegmental vessels (ISVs) in the embryo. We show that the primary lumen elongates along cell junctions between at least two endothelial cells during embryonic angiogenesis. Moesin1-EGFP is enriched around structures that resemble intracellular vacuoles, which fuse with the luminal membrane during expansion ...