RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research Laboratory for Vascular Morphogenesis
Team Director: Li-Kun Phng (Ph.D.)
Research Summary
The establishment of a blood vascular system is essential for the development of many tissues. Tissue vascularization frequently occurs through angiogenesis, which consists of many cellular processes including polarized collective cell migration, anastomosis and lumen formation.
My laboratory aims to unravel fundamental mechanisms that regulate endothelial cell dynamics and coordination during blood vessel morphogenesis. Previous studies on actin cytoskeleton revealed that specialized actin structures of different dynamics and subcellular localization drive distinct steps of vessel morphogenesis. In the future, we will 1) investigate how force regulates endothelial cell dynamics and vessel morphogenesis, and 2) identify new molecular regulators of vessel lumen formation. Our long-term goal is to understand how upstream angiogenic signals and haemodynamic forces regulate force generation in endothelial cells and their behavior.
Main Research Fields
- Biology
Related Research Fields
- Biological Sciences
Keywords
- Blood vessel formation
- Endothelial cell dynamics
- Zebrafish
Selected Publications
Papers with an asterisk(*) are based on research conducted outside of RIKEN.
- 1.
Kondrychyn I, He L, Haymar Wint, Betsholtz C, Phng LK.
"Combined forces of hydrostatic pressure and actin polymerization drive endothelial tip cell migration and sprouting angiogenesis"
eLife (2025) - 2.
Maung Ye SS, Phng LK.
"A cell-and-plasma numerical model reveals hemodynamic stress and flow adaptation in zebrafish microvessels after morphological alteration."
PLOS Computational Biology 19(12), e1011665 (2023) - 3.
Maung Ye SS, Kim JK, Carretero NT, Phng LK.
"High-Throughput Imaging of Blood Flow Reveals Developmental Changes in Distribution Patterns of Hemodynamic Quantities in Developing Zebrafish."
Frontiers in Physiology 13, 881929 (2022) - 4.
Phng LK, Belting HG.
"Endothelial cell mechanics and blood flow forces in vascular morphogenesis."
Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology (2021) - 5.
Kondrychyn I, Kelly DJ, Taberner Carretero N, et al.
"Marcksl1 modulates endothelial cell mechanoresponse to haemodynamic forces to control blood vessel shape and size"
Nature Communications 11, 5476 (2020) - 6.
*Gebala V, Collins R, Geudens I, Phng LK* and Gerhardt H* (*equal contribution):
"Blood flow drives lumen formation by inverse membrane blebbing during angiogenesis in vivo"
Nature Cell Biology 18(4), 443 - 451 (2016) - 7.
*Phng LK, Gebala V, Bentley K, Philippides A, Wacker A, Mathivet T, Sauteur L, Stanchi S, HG Belting, Affolter M and Holger Gerhardt:
"Formin-mediated actin polymerization at endothelial junctions is required for vessel lumen formation and stabilization"
Developmental Cell 32, 123 - 132 (2015) - 8.
*Phng LK*, Stanchi F and Gerhardt H* (*corresponding authors):
"Filopodia are dispensable for endothelial tip cell guidance"
Development 140, 4031 - 4040 (2013) - 9.
*Phng LK, Potente M, Leslie JD, Babbage J, Nyqvist D, Lobov I, Ondr JK, Rao S, Lang RA, Thurston G and Gerhardt H:
"Nrarp coordinates endothelial Notch and Wnt signalling to control vessel density in angiogenesis"
Developmental Cell 16, 70 - 82 (2009) - 10.
*Hellström M, Phng LK, Hofmann JJ, Wallgard E, Coultas L, Lindblom P, Alva J, Nilsson AK, Karlsson L, Gaiano N, Yoon K, Rossant J, Ireula-Arispe ML, Kalén M, Gerhardt H and Betsholtz C:
"Dll4 signalling through Notch1 regulates formation of tip cells during angiogenesis"
Nature 445, 776 - 770 (2007)
Recent Research Results
Jan. 16, 2025
Water gives cells a push in blood vessel formation
Related Links
Lab Members
Principal investigator
- Li-Kun Phng
- Team Director
Core members
- Igor Kondrychyn
- Research Scientist
- Yan Chen
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Haymar Wint
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Jason Andrew Da Silva
- Technical Staff I
- Rajrishi Awadhesh Kumar
- Technical Staff I
- Mingzhao Hu
- Junior Research Associate
- Emi Taniguchi
- Assistant
Careers
| Position | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Associate (K24066) | Open until filled |
Contact Information
2F, RIKEN BDR Developmental Biology Bldg.C,
2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku
Kobe, Hyogo
650-0047 Japan
Email: likun.phng@riken.jp