APJ expression is lost in isolated embryonic coronary endothelial cell culture in vitro

Coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and yet we lack the appropriate therapeutic treatments for it. Investigation into the mechanisms of coronary vessel development can provide insights into potential therapies to repair and regenerate damaged coronary arteries. Our previous study in the mouse embryo have implicated APJ, a G-protein coupled receptor that is expressed by coronary endothelial cells in vivo, to be an important regulator of coronary vessel development. In this study, we report an unexpected finding that the isolated embryonic coronary endothelial cells lose APJ expression in culture in vitro.