What makes partially-specialised cells in a growing embryo turn into blood vessel cells?

Characterizing the embryonic origin of haemangioblasts, their trajectories and lineage decisions at single cell resolution

In the growing embryo, stem cells (unspecialised cells) undergo rapid changes to become precursor cells (partially-specialised cells) and then specialised cells which perform specific functions. This process of cell differentiation is governed by the switching on and off of genes in each individual cell. Haemangioblasts are precursor cells that turn into different types of blood cells and endothelial cells (cells that line the inner surface of blood vessels). In this project, Dr Gi Fay Mok at the University of East Anglia will investigate the genetic programming of haemangioblasts to better understand what makes them turn into blood or endothelial cells. Using advanced genome sequencing technologies and cell imaging techniques, Dr Mok and his team aims to identify the key active genes and their function in individual embryonic cells during the different stages of blood and blood vessel development. They will use chicken embryos inside fertile eggs since the molecular biology of the developing chicken embryo is very similar to that of the human embryo. This research could aid in the development of stem cell therapies for treating heart and circulatory diseases. In particular, it could lead to improved methods for growing cells in the laboratory that are suitable for transplanting into humans e.g. to repair the damage to blood vessels that commonly occurs in heart and circulatory diseases.