© Raphael Schleutker

Research topic

We are interested on mechanisms that control endothelial cell (EC) behavior and functional specialization. The endothelium forms the inner lining of blood vessels, which are arranged in complex, tree-like networks that extend almost into every organ of the vertebrate body. Blood vessels and ECs show distinct morphological and functional properties, depending on the vascular bed (arteries, veins and capillaries), the organ where they reside, mechanical stress, or the regulation through specific transcriptional programs. Recently, we demonstrated using mouse retina as a model system that some endothelial tip cells, specialized ECs at the distal end of vascular sprouts, are arterial progenitors and incorporate into growing arteries (Pitulescu M.E. et al., 2017). Within this CRC, we investigate this new mechanism of artery formation in mouse central nervous system (CNS), namely in retina and brain. Better understanding of this process might also lead to new therapeutical approaches in cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, to understand endothelial cell heterogeneity in murine CNS, we are studying the transcriptional regulation of EC behavior during vascular morphogenesis. To address our questions, we use powerful mouse genetics, state-of-the-art-microscopy techniques, in vitro models, and different sequencing techniques.

Selected Publications

  • Stewen J., Kruse K., Godoi-Filip A.T., Zenia, Jeong H.W., Adams S., Berkenfeld F., Stehling M., Red-Horse K., Adams R.H.*, Pitulescu M.E.* (2024). Eph-ephrin signaling couples endothelial cell sorting and arterial specification. Nature Communications, 15(1):2539. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46300-0.
  • Luxán G., Stewen J., Díaz N., Kato K., Maney S.K., Aravamudhan A., Berkenfeld F., Nagelmann N., Drexler H.C., Zeuschner D., Faber C., Schillers H., Hermann S., Wiseman J., Vaquerizas J.M., Pitulescu M.E.*, Adams R.H.* (2019). Endothelial EphB4 maintains vascular integrity and transport function in adult heart. Elife, 8:e45863. doi: 10.7554/eLife.45863.
  • Xu C., Dinh V.V., Kruse K., Jeong H.W., Watson E.C., Adams S., Berkenfeld F., Stehling M., Rasouli S.J., Fan R., Chen R., Bedzhov I., Chen Q., Kato K., Pitulescu M.E.*, Adams R.H.* (2022). Induction of osteogenesis by bone-targeted Notch activation.Elife, 11:e60183. doi: 10.7554/eLife.60183.
  • Corada M., Orsenigo F., Bhat G.P., Conze L.L., Breviario F., Cunha S.I., Claesson-Welsh L., Beznoussenko G.V., Mironov A.A., Bacigaluppi M., Martino G., Pitulescu M.E., Adams R.H., Magnusson P., & Dejana E. (2019). Fine-Tuning of Sox17 and Canonical Wnt Coordinates the Permeability Properties of the Blood-Brain Barrier. Circulation Research, 124(4), 511-525. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313316.

* corresponding author