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(Circulation. 2006;114:1985-1991.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Basic Science for Clinicians

Hedgehog Morphogen in Cardiovascular Disease

Maarten F. Bijlsma, PhD; Maikel P. Peppelenbosch, PhD; C. Arnold Spek, PhD

From the Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (M.F.B., C.A.S.), and Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen (M.P.P.), the Netherlands.

Correspondence to Maikel P. Peppelenbosch, Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, Netherlands. E-mail m.peppelenbosch{at}med.umcg.nl

In this review, we focus on the basic biology of the important developmental Hedgehog (Hh) protein family, its general function in development, pathway mechanisms, and gene discovery and nomenclature. Hh function in cardiovascular development and recent findings concerning Hh signaling in ischemia models are discussed in more detail, and future perspectives are proposed. In light of the recent discovery of Hh transport by insect lipophorin, we also hypothesize a role for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in mammalian Hh transport, creating a surprising role for LDL in cardiovascular disease.

Key Words: angiogenesis • ischemia • signal transduction • receptors • hedgehog • cholesterol

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