Slit and robo expression in the developing mouse lung.

Mammalian lung development is mediated through complex interactions between foregut endoderm and surrounding mesenchyme. As airway branching progresses, the mesenchyme undergoes dramatic remodeling and differentiation. Little is understood about the mechanisms that direct mesenchymal organization during lung development.

Temporal and spatial regulation of VEGF-A controls vascular patterning in the embryonic lung.

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) is required for vascular development throughout the embryo and has been proposed to play an important role in pulmonary vascular patterning. Expressed by the embryonic respiratory epithelium, VEGF-A signals endothelial cells within the splanchnic mesenchyme. To refine understanding of the spatial and temporal role of VEGF-A in lung morphogenesis, isoform VEGF164 was expressed under conditional control in distal and proximal airway epithelial cells.

Mesenchymal expression of vascular endothelial growth factors D and A defines vascular patterning in developing lung.

The lung has specific vascular patterning requirements for effective gas exchange at birth, including alignment of airways and blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) are potent effectors of vascular development. We examined the temporal and spatial expression of VEGF-D and specific VEGF-A isoforms at each stage of lung development.