Influence of the murine transcription factor SRF on mural cell regulated retinal angiogenesis

Abstract

Serum Response Factor (SRF) is a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor that regulates the transcription of about 1000 target genes. Endothelial cell (EC)-specific depletion of SRF was previously shown to cause the formation of hemorrhages in the neonatal murine brain and microaneurysms in the retina. However, the physiological role of SRF in mural cells (MCs) remains unknown. MCs wrap around blood vessels and play important roles in angiogenesis, vessel stabilization and homeostasis of the vasculature. They are essential to maintain the integrity of the blood brain barrier and play significant roles in numerous diseases. To investigate the role of SRF in MCs, Srf-flex1::Pdgfbr-CreERT2 mice were established, which allow tamoxifen inducible, MC-specific Srf deletion (namely SrfiMCKO) and the consequences of this Srf deletion were investigated in the postnatal mouse retina.