Blood vessels form a tube system that supplies all tissues in the body with oxygen and nutrients. When a new blood vessel is formed there is initially no cavity inside but as the vessel matures a tube is established with an inside and an outside. In a recent article in Nature Communications Lena Claesson-Welsh’s research group shows that the protein VE-PTP regulates the maturation of blood vessels into tubes. The results explain why blood vessels in tumours often lack a cavity.

Knowledge about how proteins interact with each other is essential for understanding cellular function. With a new method, developed at IGP, researchers can simultaneously study several different proteins in individual cells. The method might contribute to the development of improved diagnostics and new drugs.

The muscle disease Welander distal myopathy is an inherited disease resulting in muscle weakness in hand and feet. Niklas Dahl’s research group have recently identified the mutation causing the disease and described a possible mechanism behind the symptoms. These findings will make it possible to give affected individuals an earlier diagnosis, which increases their chances to plan ahead.