Neurons secrete miR-132-containing exosomes to regulate brain vascular integrity.

Vascular integrity helps maintain brain microenvironment homeostasis, which is critical for the normal development and function of the central nervous system. It is known that neural cells can regulate brain vascular integrity. However, due to the high complexity of neurovascular interactions involved, understanding of the neural regulation of brain vascular integrity is still rudimentary.

Haemodynamics-driven developmental pruning of brain vasculature in zebrafish.

The brain blood vasculature consists of a highly ramified vessel network that is tailored to meet its physiological functions. How the brain vasculature is formed has long been fascinating biologists. Here we report that the developing vasculature in the zebrafish midbrain undergoes not only angiogenesis but also extensive vessel pruning, which is driven by changes in blood flow.

Celecoxib impairs heart development via inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 activity in zebrafish embryos.

Background: Celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, is a commonly ingested drug that is used by some women during pregnancy. Although use of celecoxib is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in adults, its effect on fetal heart development remains unknown.

Methods: Zebrafish embryos were exposed to celecoxib or other relevant drugs from tailbud stage (10.

TRPC1 is essential for in vivo angiogenesis in zebrafish.

Rationale: Wiring vascular and neural networks are known to share common molecular signaling pathways. Activation of transient receptor potential type C channels (TRPCs) has recently been shown to underlie chemotropic guidance of neural axons. It is thus of interest to examine whether TRPCs are also involved in vascular development.