Hold Me, but Not Too Tight—Endothelial Cell–Cell Junctions in Angiogenesis
- Anna Szymborska1,3 and
- Holger Gerhardt1,2,3,4
- 1Integrative Vascular Biology Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125, Berlin, Germany
- 2Vascular Patterning Laboratory, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- 3DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Berlin
- 4Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), 10178 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence: anna.szymborska{at}mdc-berlin.de; holger.gerhardt{at}mdc-berlin.de
Abstract
Endothelial cell–cell junctions must perform seemingly incompatible tasks during vascular development—providing stable connections that prevent leakage, while allowing dynamic cellular rearrangements during sprouting, anastomosis, lumen formation, and functional remodeling of the vascular network. This review aims to highlight recent insights into the molecular mechanisms governing endothelial cell–cell adhesion in the context of vascular development.
