Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier: New Factors Regulating Mammalian CNS Angiogenesis

Kavli NDI associate Jeremy Nathans, with colleagues Chris Cho and Phillip Smallwood, address a series of open questions related to the regulation of mammalian CNS angiogenesis and blood-brain barrier maintenance. In their recent report in Neuron, they identify two proteins, Gpr124 and Reck, as essential cofactors for Wnt signaling that mediates vascularization of the mammalian brain and spinal cord.

What is the functional and anatomic relationship between Reck and Gpr124 loss-of-function defects in the CNS vasculature? What are the functional relationships between Reck and Norrin pathways? Are there defined domains of Reck and Gpr124 that interact physically and functionally? Does signaling—and Wnt specificity—involve a multi-protein complex of ligand, receptor, and co-receptor, together with Gpr124 and Reck?

For answers to these question, access the article "Reck and Gpr124 Are Essential Receptor Cofactors for Wnt7a/Wnt7b-specific Signaling in Mammalina CNS Angiogenesis and Blood-Brain Barrier Regulation" by Cho et al., published in Neuron.

Share this page onFacebookTwitter

Download