Abstract
Angiogenesis is the process by which new vessels are generated from the preexisting blood vessels, which is the major contributor of postnatal neovascularization process. Disruption or dysregulation of angiogenesis is involved in various pathological conditions, such as ischemia and tumor progression. Stimulation of angiogenesis was proposed to be able to restore the blood flow and contribute to the tissue recovery in ischemia, while inhibition of angiogenesis can impede tumor progression. The importance of angiogenesis has generated tremendous interest in studying the mechanisms and to find out major contributors of the process. The current stem cell research has significantly improved our understanding of angiogenesis and its possible therapeutic application. Hypoxia is the most important driving force of angiogenesis, while other factors, such as chemokines and cytokines, haptotaxis, and mechanotaxis, are also important in regulating neovascularization process. In this chapter, we will focus on the progenitor cells that contribute to the angiogenesis and the underlining mechanisms involved in this process.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Biochemical Basis and Therapeutic Implications of Angiogenesis |
Publisher | Springer New York |
Pages | 123-138 |
Number of pages | 16 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781461458579 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781461458562 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
Keywords
- Angiogenesis
- Cytokines
- Hypotaxis
- Hypoxia
- Mechanotaxis
- MicroRNA
- Signaling molecules
- Stem cells
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine