Analysis of Embryonic Vascular Morphogenesis

The circulatory system is the first organ system to develop in the embryo. It is an essential system for the normal development of other organs and the whole embryonic body. During the last several years, we have begun to understand the specific molecules that regulate the differentiation of cells that comprise the circulatory system as well as the subsequent morphogenic events (1 ,2 ). In this chapter, protocols to study expression of genes and proteins that have been shown to be critical for vascular morphogenesis will be described in detail (1 –6 ). The list of genes and proteins includes endothelial cell receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands, extracellular matrix, and smooth muscle markers. Protocols to examine overall patterns of blood vessel network in developing embryos will be also provided. All of the protocols are developed for the use with mouse embryos.