[2014 Fall Life Sciences & IBB Regular Seminar]
         
           
        ▶Subject: Vascular sprouting and morphogenesis: dynamic architecture of genes in endothelial cells
        
        ▶Speaker: Young-Guen Kwon, Ph.D.

          (Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Yonsei University)
                
        ▶Date: 4:00PM/Dec./12(Fri)/2014
               
        ▶Place: Auditorium(1F), POSTECH Biotech Center
               
                *Abctract
            Patterning of new vascular structure is a coordinated multi-step process that involves sprouting and morphogenesis of endothelial cells (ECs) and requires the formation of asymmetric EC phenotypes and their dynamic interconversion. These processes are precisely controlled by a large number of genes and specific gene expression within developing vessel is indispensable for establishing functional vascular network. In order to identify novel genes, which are potentially involved in regulating angiogenesis and vascular patterning, we have set up in vitro EC differentiation model and analyzed gene expression profile during the differentiation by employing DNA microarray and mRNA sequencing methods. We have isolated a number of genes, which have unique expression patterns in ECs. Among these genes, Wnt regulators, Dickkopf-1 and -2 displayed distinct roles in neovascularization, with their temporal and reciprocal expression pattern during EC proliferation and morphogenesis. Yap1 and Snail, which are differentially expressed by cell to cell contact and cell to ECM interaction, regulated endothelial sprouting by transcriptional regulation of angiopoietin-2 and VEGFR3, respectively. We also identified Amigo2 as a regulator of adhesion-dependent EC survival by PDK1/AKT activation. These findings suggest usefulness of our system in revealing spatial and temporal involvement of various genes during vascular sprouting and morphogenesis and offer new opportunities for treating angiogenesis-dependent vascular diseases.

        ▶Inquiry: Prof. G-One Ahn (279-2353)
              
          * This seminar will be given in English