Molecular Determinants of Vertebrate Vasculature and Development

脊椎动物的血管系统对血液循环、气体和代谢物交换、液体平衡和免疫细胞运输至关重要。胚胎中的血管形成称为血管生成，在出生后的生命中称为血管生成。血管生成参与组织再生、炎症和肿瘤的发病。血管生成的过程和参与血管生成的分子决定因素尚不清楚。Micro(Mi)RNAs是一类非编码短小的RNAs，它负性调节靶基因的表达，在胚胎发育、组织动态平衡和发病机制中发挥关键作用。前列腺素(PG)E2通过上调PGE2受体EP4的表达，促进炎症，调节干细胞，诱导炎症相关的miRNAs。PGE2介导的功能可通过阻断EP4的活性而被抑制。PGE2和miRNAs在脊椎动物发育和血管生成中的生物学作用尚不清楚。

Vertebrate vascular system is vital for blood circulation, gas & metabolite exchange, fluid balance & immune cell trafficking. Vessel formation in embryos is called vasculogenesis, and in postnatal life, angiogenesis. Angiogenesis participates in tissue regeneration, inflammation and tumor pathogenesis. The process of vasculogenesis and the molecular determinants involved in vasculogenesis is not clear yet. Micro(mi)RNAs are short noncoding RNAs, which negatively regulate expression of target genes to play key roles in embryogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and pathogenesis. Prostaglandin(PG) E2 promotes inflammation, can regulate stem cells and induce inflammation associated miRNAs by upregulating EP4, a receptor for PGE2. PGE2 mediated functions can be inhibited by blocking EP4 activity. The biology of PGE2 and miRNAs in vertebrate development and angiogenesis are not known.