We are interested in the mechanisms of vascular growth during development (embryonic stem cell (ES) system, mouse embryo) and after tissue injury (e.g. myocardial infraction).

For these investigations we have generated different transgenic ES cell lines and mouse models with fluorescence reporters (flt1/eGFP, PECAM/eGFP, flt1/eGFP-anillin). These allow to monitor vessel formation in cell cultures or in ex and in vivo approaches. Our long-term goal is the development of strategies for the targeted modulation of vascular growth.

Endothelial cells of all stages are labeled by eGFP (green) in the PECAM/eGFP mouse model. Left: Mouse embryo at stage E9.5. Right: Skin tissue of an adult mouse. (Winkler et al. PECAM/eGFP transgenic mice for monitoring of angiogenesis in health and disease, Sci Rep. 2018)