<i>Dll4, </i>a novel Notch ligand expressed in arterial endothelium

We report the cloning and characterization of a new member of the Delta family of Notch ligands, which we have named Dll4. Like other Delta genes, Dll4 is predicted to encode a membrane-bound ligand, characterized by an extracellular region containing several EGF-like domains and a DSL domain required for receptor binding. In situ analysis reveals a highly selective expression pattern of Dll4 within the vascular endothelium. The activity and expression of Dll4 and the known actions of other members of this family suggest a role for Dll4 in the control of endothelial cell biology.