© Raphael Schleutker

Research topic

Research in the Pitulescu Lab investigates the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control endothelial cell (EC) fate decisions and their assembly into vascular networks. Specifically, we study how arteries are formed, remodeled, and maintained, and how they shape organ function during development, homeostasis, and disease. By integrating mouse genetics, state-of-the-art microscopy, in vitro models, biochemistry and next-generation sequencing techniques, we further aim to reveal how organ-specific microenvironments control EC heterogeneity and shape vascular patterning. Within the Collaborative Research Center, our project investigates the complex arterial architecture of the mammalian kidney during development and dissects signaling interactions that regulate EC fate switching and function during the process of arterialization.

Selected Publications

  • Bovay, E, Kruse, K, Watson, EC, Mohanakrishnan, V, Stehling, M, Berkenfeld, F, Pitulescu, ME, Kahn, ML, & Adams, RH (2025). Artery formation in the intestinal wall and mesentery by intestine-derived Esm1+ endothelial cells. Nat Commun 16(1), 8423. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-64047-0.
  • Stewen J., Kruse K., Godoi-Filip A.T., Zenia, Jeong H.W., Adams S., Berkenfeld F., Stehling M., Red-Horse K., Adams R.H.*, Pitulescu M.E.* (2024). Eph-ephrin signaling couples endothelial cell sorting and arterial specification. Nature Communications, 15(1):2539. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46300-0.
  • Xu C., Dinh V.V., Kruse K., Jeong H.W., Watson E.C., Adams S., Berkenfeld F., Stehling M., Rasouli S.J., Fan R., Chen R., Bedzhov I., Chen Q., Kato K., Pitulescu M.E.*, Adams R.H.* (2022). Induction of osteogenesis by bone-targeted Notch activation.Elife, 11:e60183. doi: 10.7554/eLife.60183.
  • Luxán G., Stewen J., Díaz N., Kato K., Maney S.K., Aravamudhan A., Berkenfeld F., Nagelmann N., Drexler H.C., Zeuschner D., Faber C., Schillers H., Hermann S., Wiseman J., Vaquerizas J.M., Pitulescu M.E.*, Adams R.H.* (2019). Endothelial EphB4 maintains vascular integrity and transport function in adult heart. Elife, 8:e45863. doi: 10.7554/eLife.45863.
  • Pitulescu ME#, Schmidt I, Giaimo BD, Antoine T, Berkenfeld F., Ferrante F., Park H., Ehling M, Biljes D, Rocha SF, Langen UH, Stehling M, Nagasawa T, Ferrara N, Borggrefe T, Adams RH#  (2017). Dll4 and Notch signalling couples sprouting angiogenesis and artery formation. Nat Cell Biol 19, 915-927, doi: 10.1038/ncb3555.

*, # indicate shared first or corresponding authorship, respectively