Specialized endothelial tip cells guide neuroretina vascularization and blood-retina-barrier formation
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ABSTRACT: Endothelial tip cells guiding tissue vascularization are primary targets for angiogenic therapies. Whether tip cells require differential signals to develop their complex branching patterns remained unknown. Here we show that diving tip cells invading the neuroretina (D-tip cells) are distinct from tip cells guiding the superficial retinal vascular plexus (S-tip cells). D-tip cells have a unique transcriptional signature, including high TGFβ signaling, and acquire blood-retina barrier properties. Endothelial deletion of TGFβ receptor I (Alk5) inhibits D-tip cell identity acquisition and deep vascular plexus formation. Loss of endothelial ALK5, but not of the canonical SMAD effectors, leads to aberrant contractile pericyte differentiation, and hemorrhagic vascular malformations. Our data reveal stage-specific tip cell heterogeneity as a requirement for retinal vascular development and suggest that noncanonical-TGFβ signaling could improve retinal revascularization and neural function in ischemic retinopathy.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE175895 | GEO | 2021/07/16
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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