Separation of Blood and Lymphatic Vascular Networks Is Regulated
by the Hematopoietic Signaling Proteins SLP-76 and Syk.
Reviewer: Julie Draznin Maltzman, MD Last Modified: December 8,
2002 Presenter: Farhad Abtahian Presenter's Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania Type of Session: Plenary - Currently
we do not know how blood vessels and lymph vessles form in the
fetus. - We do know that they begin their development together
and at some stage in the fetal development there are molecular
signals that are sent to these primitive cells that instruct
them to become either blood vessels or lymph vessels. - These
signals are suspected to be the interaction between VEGF
(Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor)-- a growth promoting
hormone, and tyrosine kinase receptors. - One such tyrosine
kinase receptor is Syk. SLP 76 is an adaptor protein that is
found with Syk helping it to transmit it's signal inside the
cell. Materials and Methods - Mice were genetically engineered
to be missing either SLP-76 or Syk. - Since th