Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Endothelial Cell Transcytosis Assay as an In Vitro Model to Evaluate Inner Blood-Retinal Barrier Permeability
10:56

Endothelial Cell Transcytosis Assay as an In Vitro Model to Evaluate Inner Blood-Retinal Barrier Permeability

Published on: June 7, 2022

6.0K

BRAF, A gatekeeper controlling endothelial permeability

Mathias Declercq1,2, Lucas Treps1,2

  • 1Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, Department of Oncology and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

The FEBS Journal
|May 14, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Removing BRAF in endothelial cells increases RAF1/ROKα dimerization, reducing F-actin and vessel permeability. This impacts cancer research by revealing new pathway interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • The RAF/MEK/ERK pathway is crucial in cell signaling and frequently deregulated in cancer.
  • Endothelial cell permeability is regulated by signaling cascades involving proteins like RAF1, BRAF, ROKα, and RAP1.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of BRAF in endothelial cell permeability and F-actin remodeling.
  • To elucidate the downstream effects of BRAF ablation on RAF1/ROKα interactions and VE-cadherin localization.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized BRAF-ablated endothelial cells for experimental analysis.
  • Assessed RAF1/ROKα dimerization and relocalization to VE-cadherin.
  • Quantified F-actin content and measured changes in cell permeability.

Main Results:

  • BRAF ablation led to increased RAF1/ROKα dimerization.
  • Relocalization of RAF1/ROKα to VE-cadherin was observed in BRAF-ablated cells.
  • Reduced F-actin content and decreased vessel permeability were noted in BRAF-ablated cells.

Conclusions:

  • BRAF plays a significant role in regulating endothelial cell permeability.
  • BRAF ablation alters RAF1/ROKα signaling dynamics, impacting F-actin organization.
  • Findings suggest novel therapeutic targets for modulating vascular permeability in cancer.

More Related Videos

Analyzing the Permeability of the Blood-Brain Barrier by Microbial Traversal through Microvascular Endothelial Cells06:26

Analyzing the Permeability of the Blood-Brain Barrier by Microbial Traversal through Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Published on: February 14, 2020

17.3K
Visualizing the Gatekeeper: Evan's Blue Dye-Based Assessment of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in Adult Zebrafish06:49

Visualizing the Gatekeeper: Evan's Blue Dye-Based Assessment of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in Adult Zebrafish

Published on: September 30, 2025

749

Related Concept Videos

Permeability of Concrete01:25

Permeability of Concrete

Permeability in the context of concrete refers to how easily liquids or gases can pass through the material. This quality is crucial for assessing the water-tightness and durability of concrete structures and their resistance to chemical attacks. Concrete permeability can be determined through comparative laboratory tests. These tests typically involve sealing a concrete specimen from the sides, applying water pressure to the top surface with pressure, and measuring the amount of water passing...
476
Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability01:31

Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability

In linear magnetic materials, like paramagnets and diamagnets, magnetization is proportional to the magnetic field intensity. The constant of proportionality, a dimensionless number, is called magnetic susceptibility. The value of the susceptibility depends on the type of material.
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
2.3K
Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Tissue Permeability01:30

Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Tissue Permeability

The drug distribution process within the human body is a complex interplay of various physicochemical properties inherent to the drugs. These properties, including molecular size, ionization degree, partition coefficient, and stereochemical nature, significantly impact how drugs permeate biological membranes to reach their target tissues.
Small molecules with a molecular weight below 500 to 600 Daltons can easily pass through the capillary membrane, gaining access to different tissues. Larger...
628
Bioavailability Enhancement: Drug Permeability Enhancement01:27

Bioavailability Enhancement: Drug Permeability Enhancement

Body:After oral administration, poor permeability often limits the rate at which drugs are absorbed through the intestinal epithelium. Enhancing drug permeability is crucial for effective therapy, and several strategies have been developed to overcome this challenge.One effective strategy involves the use of lipid-based formulations. These formulations enhance dissolution and solubility, targeting physiological mechanisms to increase drug absorption. This includes stimulating bile salt...
195
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Drug Permeability, Stability and Stereochemistry01:20

Factors Affecting Dissolution: Drug Permeability, Stability and Stereochemistry

Orally administered drugs primarily enter the systemic circulation via passive diffusion through the intestinal membranes. The drug's absorption is influenced by drug stability in the gastrointestinal GI tract, membrane permeability, the surface area available for absorption, luminal drug concentration, and residence time in the lumen. Drug permeability can be enhanced by adjusting the lipophilicity, polarity, or molecular size of the drug, promoting its passive transport across intestinal...
515
Control System Problem01:21

Control System Problem

In an open-loop system, such as a basic thermostat, the poles of the transfer function influence the system's response but do not determine its stability. However, when feedback is introduced to form a closed-loop system, such as an advanced thermostat that adjusts heating based on room temperature, stability is governed by the new poles of the closed-loop transfer function.
When forming a closed-loop system, issues can arise if the poles cross into the unstable region, leading to potential...
421