Role of crosstalk between phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in artery-vein specification

Functional and structural differences between arteries and veins lie at the core of the circulatory system, both in health and disease. Therefore, understanding how artery and vein cell identities are established is a fundamental biological challenge with significant clinical implications. Molecular genetic studies in zebrafish and other vertebrates in the past decade have begun to reveal in detail the complex network of molecular pathways that specify artery and vein cell fates during embryonic development. Recently, a chemical genetic approach has revealed evidence that artery-vein specification is governed by cross talk between phosphoinositide 3-kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) signaling in artery-vein specification. We discuss recent findings on the signaling pathways involved in artery-vein specification during zebrafish development and compare and contrast these results to those from mammalian systems. It is anticipated that the complementary approaches of genetics and chemical biology, involving a variety of model organisms and systems, will lead to a better understanding of artery-vein specification and possibly to novel therapeutic approaches to treat vascular diseases.