Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The coronary vasculature consists of a complex hierarchal network of arteries, veins, and capillaries which collectively function to perfuse the myocardium. However, the pathways controlling the temporally and spatially restricted mechanisms underlying the formation of this vascular network remain poorly understood. In recent years, the increasing use and refinement of transgenic mouse models has played an instrumental role in offering new insights into the cellular origins of the coronary vasculature, as well as identifying a continuum of transitioning cell states preceding the full maturation of the coronary vasculature. Coupled with the emergence of single cell RNA sequencing platforms, these technologies have begun to uncover the key regulatory factors mediating the convergence of distinct cellular origins to ensure the formation of a collectively functional, yet phenotypically diverse, vascular network. Furthermore, improved understanding of the key regulatory factors governing coronary vessel formation in the embryo may provide crucial clues into future therapeutic strategies to reactivate these developmentally functional mechanisms to drive the revascularisation of the ischaemic adult heart.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.08.005

Type

Journal article

Journal

Semin Cell Dev Biol

Publication Date

13/09/2023

Keywords

Angiogenesis, Arterial specification, Coronary vasculature, Endocardial cell, Endothelial cell, Neovasculogenesis