Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2025
09:03
Monitoring Functionality and Morphology of Vasculature Recruited by Factors Secreted by Fast-growing Tumor-generating Cells
Published on: November 23, 2014
9.9K
Ephrin-B2-expressing natural killer cells induce angiogenesis
Katharine G Wolf1, Emily B Crawford1, Nora M Wartan1
1Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
Jvs-Vascular Science
|November 28, 2022
Summary
Uterine natural killer (NK) cells promote blood vessel growth. Researchers induced this proangiogenic ability in other NK cells using ephrin-B2, offering a new strategy for therapeutic angiogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Vascular Biology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Therapeutic angiogenesis seeks to grow new blood vessels in ischemic tissues, but clinical trials show limited success.
- Uterine natural killer (NK) cells possess unique proangiogenic abilities, distinct from other NK cell subsets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of ephrin-B2 in uterine NK (uNK) cell-mediated angiogenesis.
- To determine if proangiogenic properties can be induced in other NK cell types.
Main Methods:
- Assessed ephrin-B2 expression in mouse uNK cells.
- Utilized an ex vivo coculture tubule formation assay to evaluate the proangiogenic capacity of uNK cells.
- Induced ephrin-B2 expression in splenic NK (sNK) cells.
Main Results:
- Mouse uNK cells express ephrin-B2 and induce tubule formation.
- Induced NK (iNK) cells expressing ephrin-B2 instructed endothelial cells to form tubules.
Conclusions:
- Ephrin-B2 is a marker for proangiogenic uNK cells.
- A proangiogenic phenotype can be induced in sNK cells via ephrin-B2 expression.
- This approach holds potential for therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic conditions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:24Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
2.7K
Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits. Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl...
2.7K
01:22Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
2.3K
Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor (Eph) and its ligand, Eph receptor-interacting protein (Ephrin) were first discovered in the human carcinoma cell line, hence the name. Ephrin-Eph interaction guides cells to reach their appropriate location in adult tissues. They also play an essential role in the immune system by helping in immune cell migration, adhesion, and activation. Based on their structure and function, Eph is divided into two classes — EphA and EphB.
2.3K
01:10Mechanism of Angiogenesis
5.7K
Blood vessel formation starts early during embryonic development, around day 7. In the extraembryonic yolk sac, mesodermal precursor cells called hemangioblast proliferate and differentiate into angioblast. Angioblasts express vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 or VEGFR2, which binds VEGF-A, a proangiogenic factor, guiding blood vessel formation. VEGF signaling promotes angioblasts to form a blood island in the developing embryo. Angioblasts further differentiate, giving rise to...
5.7K
02:38Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
6.6K
Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
6.6K