Objective
During embryonic development, formation of a functional cardiovascular system is critical for survival. When genes essential for cardiovascular development are ablated, embryos die by mid-gestation. Interestingly, this includes ablation of genes for arterial-venous (AV) differentiation indicating that arteries and veins are specified very early in development and that this specification is essential for proper cardiovascular function. AV identity was originally believed to be a trait acquired through local environmental cues. Recent evidence, however, has put this belief into question since arterial markers are expressed by endothelial cells before the onset of erythroblast circulation.
Though the initial AV identity of endothelial cells may be genetically pre-determined, this identity remains plastic during development such that it can be reversed by altering local flow dynamics. Thus, specification of arterial-venous fate involves a complex interaction between signalling molecules and blood flow dynamics. In order to understand the role of these various inputs, we suggest combining the use of embryonic stem (ES) cell culture with micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) to allow us to expose small populations of ES cells to control environmental and chemical cues. Using the MEMS technology, flow and pressure can be controlled in channels equivalent to the size of embryonic vasculature, between 50-100µm.
This technology has previously been used to understand the reaction of individual endothelial cells to environmental cues, however has never been applied to ES cells in order to understand the role of mechanical forces in endothelial cell differentiation. This research will thereby investigate which signals, both mechanical and genetic, are necessary for proper AV differentiation and improve our understanding of this process in vivo.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences developmental biology
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2004-MOBILITY-7
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
IIF - Marie Curie actions-Incoming International Fellowships
Coordinator
CRETEIL CEDEX
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.