Zebrafish Angiotensin II Receptor-like 1a (agtrl1a) is expressed in migrating hypoblast, vasculature, and in multiple embryonic epithelia

The human gene AGTRL1 is an angiotensin II receptor-like gene expressed in vasculature, which acts as the receptor for the small peptide APELIN, and a co-receptor for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Mammalian AGTRL1 has been shown to modulate cardiac contractility, venous and arterial dilation, and endothelial cell migration in vitro, but no role in the development of the vasculature, or other tissues, has been described. We report the identification and expression of the zebrafish ortholog of the human gene AGTRL1. Zebrafish agtrl1a is first expressed before epiboly in dorsal precursors. During epiboly it is expressed in the enveloping layer, yolk syncytial layer and migrating mesendoderm. During segmentation stages, expression is observed in epithelial structures such as adaxial cells, border cells of the newly formed somites, developing lens, otic vesicles and venous vasculature.