ZFIN Person: Affolter, Markus

ZFIN ID: ZDB-PERS-040204-3

ZFIN ID: ZDB-PERS-040204-3

Affolter, Markus

Email:	Markus.Affolter@unibas.ch
URL:	http://www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/affolter/trachea/
Affiliation:	Affolter Lab
Address:	Abteilung Zellbiologie Biozentrum Universität Basel Klingelbergstrasse 70 Basel, 4056 Switzerland
Country:	Switzerland
Phone:	41-61-267-20-77 or 41-61-267-20-72
Fax:	41-61-267-20-78
ORCID ID:

BIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH INTERESTS

For several years, we have been interested in how epithelial cell sheets are restructured to form branched tubular networks. As a model system, we have used the developing tracheal system in the embryo of Drosophila melanogaster. Recently, a number of similarities have shown up between tracheal development in the fly and the formation of blood vessels in the fish. Based on these observation, we intend to study blood vessel development in zebrafish, using genetic and molecular approaches combined with avant-garde live imaging.

PUBLICATIONS

Kemmler, C.L., Moran, H.R., Murray, B.F., Scoresby, A., Klem, J.R., Eckert, R.L., Lepovsky, E., Bertho, S., Nieuwenhuize, S., Burger, S., D'Agati, G., Betz, C., Puller, A.C., Felker, A., Ditrychova, K., Bötschi, S., Affolter, M., Rohner, N., Lovely, C.B., Kwan, K.M., Burger, A., Mosimann, C. (2023) Next-generation plasmids for transgenesis in zebrafish and beyond. Development (Cambridge, England). 150(8):

van der Stoel, M.M., Kotini, M.P., Schoon, R.M., Affolter, M., Belting, H.G., Huveneers, S. (2022) Vinculin strengthens the endothelial barrier during vascular development. Vascular biology (Bristol, England). 5(1)

Kotini, M.P., van der Stoel, M.M., Yin, J., Han, M.K., Kirchmaier, B., de Rooij, J., Affolter, M., Huveneers, S., Belting, H.G. (2022) Vinculin controls endothelial cell junction dynamics during vascular lumen formation. Cell Reports. 39:110658

Lee, M., Betz, C., Yin, J., Paatero, I., Schellinx, N., Carte, A.N., Wilson, C.W., Ye, W., Affolter, M., Belting, H.G. (2021) Control of dynamic cell behaviors during angiogenesis and anastomosis by Rasip1. Development (Cambridge, England). 148(15):

Yin, J., Heutschi, D., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M. (2021) Building the complex architectures of vascular networks: Where to branch, where to connect and where to remodel?. Current topics in developmental biology. 143:281-297

Kotini, M.P., Bachmann, F., Spickermann, J., McSheehy, P.M., Affolter, M. (2020) Probing the Effects of the FGFR-Inhibitor Derazantinib on Vascular Development in Zebrafish Embryos. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland). 14(1):

Yang, Z., Wu, S., Fontana, F., Li, Y., Xiao, W., Gao, Z., Stephan, A., Affolter, M., Belting, H.G., Abdelilah-Seyfried, S., Zhang, J. (2020) The tight junctions protein Claudin-5 limits endothelial cell motility. Journal of Cell Science. 134(1):

Aguilar, G., Matsuda, S., Vigano, M.A., Affolter, M. (2019) Using Nanobodies to Study Protein Function in Developing Organisms. Antibodies (Basel, Switzerland). 8(1)

Hübner, K., Cabochette, P., Diéguez-Hurtado, R., Wiesner, C., Wakayama, Y., Grassme, K.S., Hubert, M., Guenther, S., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Adams, R.H., Vanhollebeke, B., Herzog, W. (2018) Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates VE-cadherin-mediated anastomosis of brain capillaries by counteracting S1pr1 signaling. Nature communications. 9:4860

Angulo-Urarte, A., Casado, P., Castillo, S.D., Kobialka, P., Kotini, M.P., Figueiredo, A.M., Castel, P., Rajeeve, V., Milà-Guasch, M., Millan, J., Wiesner, C., Serra, H., Muixi, L., Casanovas, O., Viñals, F., Affolter, M., Gerhardt, H., Huveneers, S., Belting, H.G., Cutillas, P.R., Graupera, M. (2018) Endothelial cell rearrangements during vascular patterning require PI3-kinase-mediated inhibition of actomyosin contractility. Nature communications. 9:4826

Kotini, M.P., Mäe, M.A., Belting, H.G., Betsholtz, C., Affolter, M. (2018) Sprouting and anastomosis in the Drosophila trachea and the vertebrate vasculature: Similarities and differences in cell behaviour. Vascular Pharmacology. 112:8-16

Paatero, I., Sauteur, L., Lee, M., Lagendijk, A.K., Heutschi, D., Wiesner, C., Guzmán, C., Bieli, D., Hogan, B.M., Affolter, M., Belting, H.G. (2018) Junction-based lamellipodia drive endothelial cell rearrangements in vivo via a VE-cadherin-F-actin based oscillatory cell-cell interaction. Nature communications. 9:3545

Lagendijk, A.K., Gomez, G.A., Baek, S., Hesselson, D., Hughes, W.E., Paterson, S., Conway, D.E., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Smith, K.A., Schwartz, M.A., Yap, A.S., Hogan, B.M. (2017) Live imaging molecular changes in junctional tension upon VE-cadherin in zebrafish. Nature communications. 8:1402

Sauteur, L., Affolter, M., Belting, H.G. (2017) Distinct and redundant functions of Esam and VE-cadherin during vascular morphogenesis. Development (Cambridge, England). 144(8):1554-1565

Nakajima, H., Yamamoto, K., Agarwala, S., Terai, K., Fukui, H., Fukuhara, S., Ando, K., Miyazaki, T., Yokota, Y., Schmelzer, E., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Lecaudey, V., Mochizuki, N. (2017) Flow-Dependent Endothelial YAP Regulation Contributes to Vessel Maintenance. Developmental Cell. 40:523-536.e6

Tsachaki, M., Meyer, A., Weger, B., Kratschmar, D.V., Tokarz, J., Adamski, J., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Dickmeis, T., Odermatt, A. (2017) Absence of 11-keto reduction of cortisone and 11-ketotestosterone in the model organism zebrafish. The Journal of endocrinology. 232(2):323-335

Betz, C., Lenard, A., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M. (2016) Cell behaviors and dynamics during angiogenesis. Development (Cambridge, England). 143:2249-60

Affolter, M. (2016) Seeing is Believing, or How GFP Changed My Approach to Science. Current topics in developmental biology. 116:1-16

Bieli, D., Alborelli, I., Harmansa, S., Matsuda, S., Caussinus, E., Affolter, M. (2016) Development and Application of Functionalized Protein Binders in Multicellular Organisms. International review of cell and molecular biology. 325:181-213

Ittig, S.J., Schmutz, C., Kasper, C.A., Amstutz, M., Schmidt, A., Sauteur, L., Vigano, M.A., Low, S.H., Affolter, M., Cornelis, G.R., Nigg, E.A., Arrieumerlou, C. (2015) A bacterial type III secretion-based protein delivery tool for broad applications in cell biology. The Journal of cell biology. 211:913-31

Aydogan, V., Lenard, A., Denes, A.S., Sauteur, L., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M. (2015) Endothelial cell division in angiogenic sprouts of differing cellular architecture. Biology Open. 4(10):1259-69

Lenard, A., Daetwyler, S., Betz, C., Ellertsdottir, E., Belting, H.G., Huisken, J., Affolter, M. (2015) Endothelial Cell Self-fusion during Vascular Pruning. PLoS Biology. 13(4):e1002126

Phng, L.K., Gebala, V., Bentley, K., Philippides, A., Wacker, A., Mathivet, T., Sauteur, L., Stanchi, F., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Gerhardt, H. (2015) Formin-mediated actin polymerization at endothelial junctions is required for vessel lumen formation and stabilization. Developmental Cell. 32:123-32

Brauchle, M., Hansen, S., Caussinus, E., Lenard, A., Ochoa-Espinosa, A., Scholz, O., Sprecher, S.G., Plückthun, A., Affolter, M. (2014) Protein interference applications in cellular and developmental biology using DARPins that recognize GFP and mCherry. Biology Open. 3(12):1252-61

Sauteur, L., Krudewig, A., Herwig, L., Ehrenfeuchter, N., Lenard, A., Affolter, M., Belting, H.G. (2014) Cdh5/VE-cadherin Promotes Endothelial Cell Interface Elongation via Cortical Actin Polymerization during Angiogenic Sprouting. Cell Reports. 9:504-13

De Smet, F., Tembuyser, B., Lenard, A., Claes, F., Zhang, J., Michielsen, C., Van Schepdael, A., Herbert, J.M., Bono, F., Affolter, M., Dewerchin, M., Carmeliet, P. (2014) Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling Affects Vascular Outgrowth and Is Required for the Maintenance of Blood Vessel Integrity. Chemistry & Biology. 21(10):1310-7

Santos, M.E., Braasch, I., Boileau, N., Meyer, B.S., Sauteur, L., Böhne, A., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Salzburger, W. (2014) The evolution of cichlid fish egg-spots is linked with a cis-regulatory change. Nature communications. 5:5149

Hultin, S., Zheng, Y., Mojallal, M., Vertuani, S., Gentili, C., Balland, M., Milloud, R., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Helker, C.S., Adams, R.H., Herzog, W., Uhlen, P., Majumdar, A., Holmgren, L. (2014) AmotL2 links VE-cadherin to contractile actin fibres necessary for aortic lumen expansion. Nature communications. 5:3743

Kochhan, E., Lenard, A., Ellertsdottir, E., Herwig, L., Affolter, M., Belting, H.G., and Siekmann, A.F. (2013) Blood Flow Changes Coincide with Cellular Rearrangements during Blood Vessel Pruning in Zebrafish Embryos. PLoS One. 8(10):e75060

Helker, C.S., Schuermann, A., Karpanen, T., Zeuschner, D., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Schulte-Merker, S., and Herzog, W. (2013) The zebrafish common cardinal veins develop by a novel mechanism: lumen ensheathment. Development (Cambridge, England). 140(13):2776-2786

Lenard, A., Ellertsdottir, E., Herwig, L., Krudewig, A., Sauteur, L., Belting, H.G., and Affolter, M. (2013) In Vivo analysis reveals a highly stereotypic morphogenetic pathway of vascular anastomosis. Developmental Cell. 25(5):492-506

Hayashi, M., Majumdar, A., Li, X., Adler, J., Sun, Z., Vertuani, S., Hellberg, C., Mellberg, S., Koch, S., Dimberg, A., Young Koh, G., Dejana, E., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Thurston, G., Holmgren, L., Vestweber, D., and Claesson-Welsh, L. (2013) VE-PTP regulates VEGFR2 activity in stalk cells to establish endothelial cell polarity and lumen formation. Nature communications. 4:1672

Ellertsdottir, E., Berthold, P.R, Bouzaffour, M., Dufourcq, P., Trayer, V., Gauron, C., Vriz, S., Affolter, M., and Rampon, C. (2012) Developmental Role of Zebrafish Protease-Activated Receptor 1 (PAR1) in the Cardio-Vascular System. PLoS One. 7(7):e42131

Herwig, L., Blum, Y., Krudewig, A., Ellertsdottir, E., Lenard, A., and Belting, H.G., and Affolter, M. (2011) Distinct Cellular Mechanisms of Blood Vessel Fusion in the Zebrafish Embryo. Current biology : CB. 21(22):1942-1948

Gutnick, A., Blechman, J., Kaslin, J., Herwig, L., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Bonkowsky, J.L., and Levkowitz, G. (2011) The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin is required for formation of the neurovascular interface of the pituitary. Developmental Cell. 21(4):642-654

Totong, R., Schell, T., Lescroart, F., Ryckebüsch, L., Lin, Y.F., Zygmunt, T., Herwig, L., Krudewig, A., Gershoony, D., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Torres-Vazquez, J., and Yelon, D. (2011) The novel transmembrane protein Tmem2 is essential for coordination of myocardial and endocardial morphogenesis. Development (Cambridge, England). 138(19):4199-4205

Zygmunt, T., Gay, C.M., Blondelle, J., Singh, M.K., Flaherty, K.M., Means, P.C., Herwig, L., Krudewig, A., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Epstein, J.A., and Torres-Vazquez, J. (2011) Semaphorin-PlexinD1 Signaling Limits Angiogenic Potential via the VEGF Decoy Receptor sFlt1. Developmental Cell. 21(2):301-314

Oggier, D.M., Lenard, A., Küry, M., Höger, B., Affolter, M., and Fent, K. (2011) Effects of the protein kinase inhibitor PKC412 on gene expression and link to physiological effects in zebrafish Danio rerio eleuthero-embryos. Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology. 119(1):104-115

Ellertsdóttir, E., Lenard, A., Blum, Y., Krudewig, A., Herwig, L., Affolter, M., and Belting, H.G. (2010) Vascular morphogenesis in the zebrafish embryo. Developmental Biology. 341(1):56-65

Li, K., Blum, Y., Verma, A., Liu, Z., Pramanik, K., Leigh, N.R., Chun, C.Z., Samant, G.V., Zhao, B., Garnaas, M.K., Horswill, M.A., Stanhope, S.A., North, P.E., Miao, R.Q., Wilkinson, G.A., Affolter, M., and Ramchandran, R. (2010) A non-coding antisense RNA in tie-1 locus regulates tie-1 function in vivo. Blood. 115(1):133-139

Kleaveland, B., Zheng, X., Liu, J.J., Blum, Y., Tung, J.J., Zou, Z., Chen, M., Guo, L., Lu, M.M., Zhou, D., Kitajewski, J., Affolter, M., Ginsberg, M.H., and Kahn, M.L. (2009) Regulation of cardiovascular development and integrity by the heart of glass-cerebral cavernous malformation protein pathway. Nature medicine. 15(2):169-176

Blum, Y., Belting, H.G., Ellertsdottir, E., Herwig, L., Lüders, F., and Affolter, M. (2008) Complex cell rearrangements during intersegmental vessel sprouting and vessel fusion in the zebrafish embryo. Developmental Biology. 316(2):312-322

Belting, H.G., and Affolter, M. (2007) It takes guts to make a single lumen. Nature cell biology. 9(8):880-881

NON-ZEBRAFISH PUBLICATIONS
Ribeiro, C., Ebner, A. and Affolter, M. (2002). In Vivo Imaging Reveals Different Cellular Functions for FGF and Dpp Signaling in Tracheal Branching Morphogenesis. Developmental Cell 2, 677-683.

Affolter, M., Bellusci, S., Itoh, I., Shilo,.Thiery, J.P. and Werb, Z. (2003). Tube or Not Tube: Remodeling Epithelial Tissues by Branching Morphogenesis. Developmental Cell 4, 11-18.

Jazwinska, A., Ribeiro, C. and Affolter, M. (2003) Epithelial tube morphogenesis during Drosophila tracheal development requires Piopio, a luminal ZP protein. Nature Cell Biology 5, 895-901.