Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026

Affinity Precipitation of Active Rho-GEFs Using a GST-tagged Mutant Rho Protein GST-RhoAG17A from Epithelial Cell Lysates
Published on: March 31, 2012
Rho GAPs and GEFs: controling switches in endothelial cell adhesion
Jaap D van Buul1, Dirk Geerts2, Stephan Huveneers1
1Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Sanquin Research and Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences; University of Amsterdam; The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Within blood vessels, endothelial cellâ€"cell and cellâ€"matrix adhesions are crucial to preserve barrier function, and these adhesions are tightly controlled during vascular development, angiogenesis, and transendothelial migration of inflammatory cells. Endothelial cellular signaling that occurs via the family of Rho GTPases coordinates these cell adhesion structures through cytoskeletal remodelling. In turn, Rho GTPases are regulated by GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) and guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). To understand how endothelial cells initiate changes in the activity of Rho GTPases, and thereby regulate cell adhesion, we will discuss the role of Rho GAPs and GEFs in vascular biology. Many potentially important Rho regulators have not been studied in detail in endothelial cells. We therefore will first overview which GAPs and GEFs are highly expressed in endothelium, based on comparative gene expression analysis of human endothelial cells compared with other tissue cell types. Subsequently, we discuss the relevance of Rho GAPs and GEFs for endothelial cell adhesion in vascular homeostasis and disease.
Related Concept Videos
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins
Activation of Integrins
In "outside-in signaling," external factors in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand binding sites on integrins. This causes the inactive protein to undergo a conformational change to become active. Integrins are often clustered on the cell membrane. Repetitive and regularly spaced ligand binding...
GTPases and their Regulation
Large G-proteins,...
Transducer Mechanism: G Protein–Coupled Receptors
GPCRs are also called heptahelical,...

