The Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) receptor activin
receptor–like kinase 1 (Alk1), which is predominantly expressed in the vascular
endothelium, has been shown to play a critical role in angiogenesis. Embryos lacking
Alk1 die early during embryonic development due to impaired vascular remodeling
and lack of perivascular cell coverage. In renal physiology, Alk1 has been
suggested to play an important role in the regulation of extracellular matrix
deposition, including collagen type I and fibronectin, and Alk1 heterozygosity
has been associated with increased renal fibrosis in a mouse model of
obstructive nephropathy, probably due to the decrease in the Alk1/Smad1
antifibrotic/protective signaling in renal fibroblasts.
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