Several known genes are crucial for blood vessel growth and differentiation but the cues that shape the architecture of the vascular system are still unclear. On p. 5281,Isogai and colleagues examine the influence of blood flow dynamics on the patterning of blood vessels that develop in the vertebrate trunk. Following observations of zebrafish embryos that express green fluorescent protein throughout the vascular network, the authors describe a two-step process of angiogenesis in which primary sprouts emerge from the dorsal aorta and secondary sprouts arise from the posterior cardinal vein. The authors used silent heart mutant embryos, which have hearts that do not beat, to show that circulatory flow dynamics do not affect the development of the primary network and have little influence on the patterning of the secondary network. Importantly however, their results support the idea that circulatory flow does affect the patterning of interconnections between the primary and the secondary networks, consistent with the notion that the architecture of the vascular system is orchestrated by the interplay between `hard-wired'anatomy and flow dynamics.
Flow dynamics and genetic determinism
Flow dynamics and genetic determinism. Development 1 November 2003; 130 (21): e2106. doi:
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
Pathway to Independence programme

We’re excited to announce our new Pathway to Independence programme, aimed at supporting postdocs as they go on the job market. Find out more about the scheme in our Editorial.
Call for papers: Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Regeneration

We are welcoming submissions for our next special issue, which will focus on metabolic and nutritional control of development and regeneration. Submission deadline: 15 May 2023.
Webinar: Increasing the visibility and impact of your research
-HUBSwebinar.jpg?versionId=4486)
Would you like to increase the visibility and impact of your research and raise your profile internationally? If so, register for the very practical webinar we are running in association with HUBS on 23 February 2023.
Transitions in development: Daniel Grimes

Daniel Grimes’s lab studies the consequences of ciliary mutations, including left-right patterning defects and scoliosis. We interviewed Daniel to find out more about his career path, his experience of becoming a group leader and the influence of Jurassic Park.
Preprints in Development
(update)-InPreprints.png?versionId=4486)
As part of our efforts to support the use of preprints and help curate the preprint literature, we are delighted to launch a new article type: ‘In preprints’. These pieces will discuss one or more recent preprints and place them in a broader context.