Actin-Tethered Junctional Complexes in Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis in Association with Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Figure 2

Proposed function of afadin in the VEGF or S1P receptor signaling during AG. In HUVECs, activated Rap1 (by still unknown mechanism) binds and recruits afadin to cell membrane where the complex between VEGF receptor, afadin, Rap1, and sequentially p85 and p110 subunits of PI3K assembles. Activated PI3K phosphorylates Akt and downstream signaling follows. Similar events occur after S1P receptor activation (not drawn). In addition, Rap1 stimulates different proteins (e.g., RAPL) that may contribute to proangiogenic signal.