Novel mechanisms of adhesion assembly and crosstalk in arteries and veins (2026-2030)
Abstract
Arteries and veins are lined by cells with different adhesive properties to facilitate vessel specific barrier physiology. What controls adhesion differences is still poorly understood. This research will apply unique zebrafish models, 3D human micro-vessels, and omics approaches to help solve this knowledge gap in two complementary Programs: [P1] Identify how a novel Adrenomedullin-Pim kinase pathway regulates adhesion only in veins [P2] Visualise dynamics of adhesive forces in vivo and identify how these forces contribute to barrier function This work will enhance our understanding of blood vessel integrity in different vessel types and expand the scope of Australian research by informing efforts to vascularise engineered tissues.
