Gene Trap, Gene Knockout, Gene Knock-In, and Transgenics in Vascular Development

Introduction

The vascular system is one of the first organ systems to develop in our bodies. Normal development and maturation of the physiological functions of almost all of the other organs are critically dependent on the accurate and tightly controlled establishment of the vascular system. Our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the formation of the vascular system during development is still in its infancy. With further understanding of these mechanisms, we may eventually be able to correct the abnormal development and the malfunctioning of many organs by therapeutically modulating the morphology and/or physiological function of the vascular system.

Our further understanding of the vascular development can, in part, be achieved by discovering the molecules that play critical roles in this process. We could also achieve this goal by learning more about the functions of previously identified molecules in the vascular system. Discovery of new processes underlying the development of the vascular system will also contribute to further understanding of these molecular mechanisms.

Recent advances, using the whole genome approach, have resulted in a flood of new information. This trend will continue, and fortunately, a number of molecular reagents will become available. Therefore, the field will likely experience an exponential growth in terms of novel biological insights and discovering the mechanisms of vascular system development.

Occasionally, reductionistic approaches help to systematically address a number of biological problems, including the problems associated with vascular system development. One such approach is to choose an organism that allows us to systematically address these biological questions. The choice of animal models that are well-suited for the study of a particular question has led to a large number of discoveries. To address questions in vascular system development, current research has focused on animal models, including fish, frog, bird, and mouse, and also studies involving humans. It is also worthwhile to note that the branching morphogenesis of the fly trachea system has been utilized to address fundamental questions of vascular morphogenesis.

This chapter will summarize the genomic manipulation of the murine vascular system to address questions regarding vascular development. In addition, the advances that have been made in this field using such methods will be summarized.

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