Summary
Vasculogenesis is an important mechanism of blood vessel formation not only in embryos
but also in adults. It may contribute to reparative effects of progenitor cell therapy
in ischemic diseases such as myocardial infarction. Signaling pathways involved in
embryonic development, including the BMP pathway, are reactivated in adult vasculogenesis.
As a consequence knowledge about embryonic signaling events will help to understand
blood vessel formation in the adult. The role of BMPs in embryonic development has
been studied extensively in the past decades but only recently their role in vasculogenesis
has been recognized. Gain and loss of function models indicate that BMPs stimulate
vasculogenesis in the embryo as well as in the adult. Additionally, BMPs interact
with other pathways involved in blood vessel formation, such as VEGF signaling. Studying
novel molecules such as BMPER that modulate BMP activity and that are expressed in
vascular cells will help to understand vasculogenetic signaling and may open up new
therapeutic avenues in vascular disease.
Keywords
Bone morphogenetic proteins - vasculogenesis - novel proteins