Main Content

Prof. Dr. Christian Helker

Research interests

My research focuses on the cell biological processes that occur during the formation of new blood vessels (vascularization), particularly the communication between cells within the tissue and between these cells and their environment.

Endothelial cells, which form all blood vessel, are essential for vascularization throughout the body. However, recent research has shown that endothelial cells also play a role in the morphogenesis and function of various organs through a process known as angiocrine signaling.

In the central nervous system (CNS), vascularization begins with angiogenic sprouting into neuronal tissue from the periphery. Perfused blood vessels in the CNS exhibit heterogeneous structural and functional properties. Two striking examples of this heterogeneity are the blood vessels that form the semipermeable blood-brain barrier (BBB) and those that develop highly permeable fenestrae. BBB blood vessels form a tight barrier to protect the brain, while fenestrated blood vessels allow the exchange of molecules and the removal of waste products. In the brain, an organ primarily known for BBB-forming blood vessels, fenestrated blood vessels are found in the choroid plexus (CP). Although the presence of fenestrated blood vessels has been described for decades, little is known about the molecular mechanisms required for their formation.

Our aim is to investigate the interrelationships between blood vessels and the surrounding neural cells in the CNS.