B6: General information about project B6

 

Hellmut Augustin

 

The Angiopoietin/Tie system controls angiogenesis and vessel maturation. The stimulating ligand Ang-1 has recently been identified as a regulator of quiescence in the bone marrow stem cell niche. Based on our laboratory’s expertise in Ang/Tie signaling and supported by preliminary data establishing a role of Ang-2 in controlling the hematopoietic stem cell niche, the present proposal is aimed at pursuing a concerted effort to study Ang-2 and Tie1 as dynamic regulators of Ang-1-mediated maintenance of the stem cell niche. The experimental program will be complemented by work aimed at deciphering the crosstalk between Wnt signaling and the Ang/Tie system during HSC maintenance and recruitment.