Review Article

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

Figure 3

Sequence of regulatory steps leading to damage of lymph endothelial barrier in afadin cKO mouse embryos. In the absence of afadin-mediated inhibition of RhoA activity, actin stress fibers are formed. Thick actin filaments alter the cell shape, dislocate VE-cadherin from cell membrane, compromise adherent junctions, and damage lymph EC barrier. This results in generalized edema and embryonic death.