期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2002
卷号：99
期号：14
页码：9248-9253
DOI：10.1073/pnas.142293999
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Erk5 is a mitogen-activated protein kinase, the biological role of which is largely undefined. Therefore, we deleted the erk5 gene in mice to assess its function in vivo. Inactivation of the erk5 gene resulted in defective blood-vessel and cardiac development leading to embryonic lethality around embryonic days 9.5-10.5. Cardiac development was retarded largely, and the heart failed to undergo normal looping. Endothelial cells that line the developing myocardium of erk5-/- embryos displayed a disorganized, rounded morphology. Vasculogenesis occurred, but extraembryonic and embryonic blood vessels were disorganized and failed to mature. Furthermore, the investment of embryonic blood vessels with smooth muscle cells was attenuated. Together, these data define an essential role for Erk5 in cardiovascular development. Moreover, the inability of Erk5-deficient mice to form a complex vasculature suggests that Erk5 may play an important role in controlling angiogenesis.
