Endothelial adhesion molecules in the development of the vascular tree: the garden of forking paths

Abstract

In the past, year targeted null mutation studies have further supported the concept that endothelial cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion is involved in the formation and maintenance of the network of branched tubes within the vascular tree. In addition, recent results derived from the closely related experimental system of branching tubulogenesis in epithelial cells may provide an appealing model for endothelial biology.