Sel1l knockdown negatively influences zebrafish embryos endothelium

SEL1L (Suppressor/Enhancer of Lin-12-like) is a highly conserved gene associated with the Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation (ERAD) pathway and involved in mediating the balance between stem cells self-renewal and differentiation of neural progenitors. It has been recently shown that SEL1L KO mice are embryonic lethal and display altered organogenesis. To better characterize the function of SEL1L in the early stages of embryonic development, we turned to the zebrafish model (D. rerio). After exploring sel1l expression by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization, we employed a morpholino-mediated down-regulation approach. Results showed extensive impairments in the vasculature, which supports the mice knock-out findings.