Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is the growth of blood vessels from the existing vasculature. The field of angiogenesis has grown enormously in the past 30 years, with only 40 papers published in 1980 and nearly 6000 in 2010. Why has there been this explosive growth in angiogenesis research? Angiogenic therapies provide a potential to conquer cancer, heart diseases, and more than 70 of life's most threatening medical conditions. The lives of at least 1 billion people worldwide could be improved with angiogenic therapy, according to the Angiogenesis Foundation. In this little book, we provide a simple approach to understand the essential elements of the angiogenic process, we critique the most powerful angiogenesis assays that are used to discover proangiogenic and antiangiogenic substances, and we provide an in-depth physiological perspective on how angiogenesis is regulated in normal, healthy tissues of the human body. All tissues of the body require a continuous supply of oxygen to burn metabolic substrates that are needed for energy. Oxygen is conducted to these tissues by blood capillaries: more capillaries can improve tissue oxygenation and thus enhance energy production; fewer capillaries can lead to hypoxia and even anoxia in the tissues. This means that angiogenic therapies designed to control the growth and regression of blood capillaries can be used to improve the survival of poorly perfused tissues that are essential to the body (heart, brain, skeletal muscle, etc.) and to rid the body of unwanted tissues (tumors). Table of Contents: Overview of Angiogenesis / Angiogenesis Assays / Regulation: Metabolic Factors / Regulation: Mechanical Factors / Glossary / References / Author Biographies

Dr. Judah Folkman is considered the "father of angiogenesis." Because of Folkman's discovery and research, the possibilities of angiogenic therapy have broadened beyond cancer to many noncancerous diseases. Angiogenesis: An Integrative Approach from Science to Medicine is a comprehensive, concise summary of tumor angiogenesis. It is an up-to-date and authoritative reference for the angiogenesis field as it relates to oncology. This book represents the first collection in a volume of which Folkman is co-editor. Folkman has authored nearly 400 original papers and more than 100 book chapters.

Why a new book on angiogenesis and why now? For the first time concepts proposed over 30 years ago have found clinical validation. In the last two years the first antiangiogenic agents have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of cancer and age-related macular degeneration. Not surprisingly, this clinical success has raised a new set of basic

Anti-angiogenesis Strategies in Cancer Therapeutics provides a detailed look at the current status and future directions in the discovery and development of novel anti-angiogenesis strategies in oncology. This book highlights the different mechanisms involved in the modulation of angiogenesis, including inflammation, thrombosis, and microRNA, and shows how nanotechnology can further enhance the potential of existing and new anti-angiogenesis approaches. Written for industry scientists, researchers, oncologists, hematologists, and professors and students in the field, this comprehensive book covers all aspects of anti-angiogenesis strategies and their differences. Covers important preclinical models and clinical trials in the discovery and development of novel anti-angiogenesis agents Reviews FDA-approved anti-angiogenesis agents Illustrates the value of nanotechnology in improving the utility of anti-angiogenesis agents Offers insight into the development of novel anti-angiogenesis agents and future direction in this area

The microcirculation is highly responsive to, and a vital participant in, the inflammatory response. All segments of the microvasculature (arterioles, capillaries, and venules) exhibit characteristic phenotypic changes during inflammation that appear to be directed toward enhancing the delivery of inflammatory cells to the injured/infected tissue, isolating the region from healthy tissue and the systemic circulation, and setting the stage for tissue repair and regeneration. The best characterized responses of the microcirculation to inflammation include impaired vasomotor function, reduced capillary perfusion, adhesion of leukocytes and platelets, activation of the coagulation cascade, and enhanced thrombosis, increased vascular permeability, and an increase in the rate of proliferation of blood and lymphatic vessels. A variety of cells that normally circulate in blood (leukocytes, platelets) or reside within the vessel wall (endothelial cells, pericytes) or in the perivascular space (mast cells, macrophages) are activated in response to inflammation. The activation products and chemical mediators released from these cells act through different well-characterized signaling pathways to induce the phenotypic changes in microvessel function that accompany inflammation. Drugs that target a specific microvascular response to inflammation, such as leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion or angiogenesis, have shown promise in both the preclinical and clinical studies of inflammatory disease. Future research efforts in this area will likely identify new avenues for therapeutic intervention in inflammation. Table of Contents: Introduction / Historical Perspectives / Anatomical Considerations / Impaired Vasomotor Responses / Capillary Perfusion / Angiogenesis / Leukocyte-Endothelial Cell Adhesion / Platelet-Vessel Wall Interactions / Coagulation and Thrombosis / Endothelial Barrier Dysfunction / Epilogue / References

In Vivo Models to Study Angiogenesis provides the latest information and an overview of the most common assays for studying angiogenesis in vivo. Under physiological conditions, angiogenesis is tightly controlled, whereas increased production of angiogenic stimuli and/or reduced production of angiogenic inhibitors leads to abnormal neovascularization, such as occurs in cancer, chronic inflammatory disease, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and cardiovascular disorders. Several genetic and epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the early development of the vascular system. This book presents the latest information from the extensive literature and research available. Evidence is now emerging that blood vessels themselves have the ability to provide instructive regulatory signals to surrounding non-vascular target cells during organ development. Thus, endothelial cell signaling is currently believed to promote fundamental cues for cell fate specification, embryo patterning, organ differentiation and postnatal tissue remodeling. Provides information on the most common assays to study angiogenesis in vivo Presents an ideal reference for those interested in angiogenesis as a normal and vital process in growth and development Covers wound healing, the formation of granulation tissue, and the transition of tumors from benign to malignant

Angiogenesis is a highly complex phenomenon where new blood vessels are formed for the supply of oxygen and nutrients in different organs of the body. It plays a critical role in both physiological processes such as growth and development as well as pathological processes including cancer and different types of tumors. Angiogenesis is also essential for the regeneration and survival of cells in several disease conditions such as ischemic heart disease (myocardial infarction), atherosclerosis, brain injury (stroke) and diabetes. Since the mechanisms of angiogenesis are organ specific and differ among various diseases, it is proposed to devote one section of this book to the development of angiogenesis in some selected diseases such as cancer, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes and stroke. It is pointed out that extensive research work in this regard has been carried out in the area of cancer and heart disease, whereas relatively less attention has been paid to studying angiogenesis in other disease conditions.

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is fundamental for physiological processes such as embryonic and postnatal development, wound repair, and reproductive functions. Angiogenesis plays a major role in tumor growth and in several autoimmune and allergic disorders. Lymphangiogenesis, the formation of new lymphatic vessels, is also important for tumor growth, the formation of metastasis, and chronic inflammatory diseases. Judah Folkman, a pioneer in the study of angiogenesis, first proposed that macrophages and mast cells could be a relevant source of angiogenic factors. Since then, much effort has gone into the elucidation of the role of immune cells in the modulation of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. There is now compelling evidence that several components of the innate and adaptive immune system are implicated in inflammatory and neoplastic angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Articles in this volume deal with the emerging, intriguing possibility that immune cells are both a source and a target of angiogenic and lymphangiogenic factors. Therefore, cells of the immune system might play a role in inflammatory and neoplastic angiogenesis/lymphangiogenesis through the expression of several angiogenic factors and their receptors and co-receptors. The important new findings in this volume will be of special interest to vascular biologists, basic and clinical immunologists, oncologists and to specialists in allergic and immune disorders.