Molecular Mechanisms And Signaling In Endothelial Cell Biology And Vascular Heterogeneity

This book surveys healthy and diseased vascular systems in a multitude of model organisms and systems. It explores a plethora of functions, characteristics, and pathologies of the vascular system such as angiogenesis, fibroblast growth factor signaling, lymphangiogenesis, junctional signaling, the extracellular matrix, vascular permeability, leukocyte extravasation, axon guidance factors, the angiopoietin system, and chronic obstructive lung disease. Following a preface from leading researcher Dr. Holger Gerhardt, the text is divided into three sections- the first examining the development of the vascular system in a variety of contexts, the second delving into its homeostatic characteristics, and the third discussing its pathophysiologies. The sixteen chapters, which represent international clinical and research perspectives, highlight the importance of molecular and signaling pathways for translational basic science and clinical medicine. Additionally, the text explores new and exciting fields in vascular biology research. Comprehensive in both content and approach, Vascular Signaling in Health and Disease is ideal for graduate students, researchers, and clinicians interested in vascular biology, pneumology, and molecular biology.

Vascular Protection explores advances in vascular biology and how they translate into innovations in drug therapy for vascular disease. It addresses recent advances in the knowledge of endothelial vasoactive factors and other biologically active molecules as well as gene therapy. Written by leading experts in their respective fields, each chapter e

Angiogenesis is a multi-stage process that drives the generation of new blood and lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones. It is highly active during embryogenesis, largely inactive during adulthood but reactivated during wound healing and under a number of pathological conditions including cancer and ocular diseases. In addition to endothelial cells, which line the walls of the vessels, several other cell types (pericytes, macrophages, progenitor cells...) also contribute to angiogenesis. A number of signaling pathways are activated and very finely tune the delicate morphogenetic events that ultimately lead to the formation of stable blood proof neovessels. This book reviews recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of angiogenesis, with a focus on how to integrate these observations into the context of developmental, post-natal and pathological neovascularization. The book was published under the auspices of the French Angiogenesis Society. Most contributors are prominent members of this Society or international researchers who have actively contributed to the Annual Meetings of the Society.

The participation of endothelial cells in various physiologic and pathologic processes has been hypothesized since before the turn of the century. However, until recently, direct evidence for endothelial involvement in these processes has been extremely difficult to obtain due to the inability to study endothelial cell function in vitro. Though the possibility of using cultured endothelial cells to study endothelial cell function in vitro was recognized many years ago, the inability to culture unambiguously identifiable endothelial cells limited investigators in their studies of endothelial function. As a result, the field of endothelial cell biology lay relatively fallow for many years. The development in the early 1970's of routine and easily implemented methods for culturing human endothelial cells and the demonstration that cultured endothelial cells synthesized a physiologically relevant protein, Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor, quickly changed this state of affairs. Over the following decade the scope of endothelial cell research rapidly widened, spreading in a number of directions. First, methods were developed to culture endothelial cells from a variety of species. Second, methods were developed to culture endothelial cells from different organs and types of blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) within a single species. Third, and most important, investigators began using cultured endothelial cells as tools to study the potential involvement of endothelial cells in a wide assortment of biologically interesting processes. The net result has been a tremendous increase in our understanding of endothelial cell function.

This book focusses on a family of growth factors and their receptors, known as vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF's). VEGF's are critical for endothelial cell function, both during physiological and pathological conditions. Thus, tumors depend on VEGF in order to promote ingrowth of blood vessels. Without VEGF, blood vessels will not form. There is growing awareness that deregulated production or action of VEGF is initiating or driving a large number of diseases. The book is written by the leading scientists in the field for an audience with medical or life science background, and presents an overview of the current knowledge in the area of VEGF and VEDG receptor structure and function in a series of reviews spanning from molecular signal transduction and cellular biology to the clinic.

The formation of blood vessels is an essential aspect of embryogenesis in vertebrates. It is a central feature of numerous post-embryonic processes, including tissue and organ growth and regeneration. It is also part of the pathology of tumour formation and certain inflammatory conditions. In recent years, comprehension of the molecular genetics of blood vessel formation has progressed enormously and studies in vertebrate model systems, especially the mouse and the zebrafish, have identified a common set of molecules and processes that are conserved throughout vertebrate embryogenesis while, in addition, highlighting aspects that may differ between different animal groups. The discovery in the past decade of the crucial role of new blood vessel formation for the development of cancers has generated great interest in angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones), with its major implications for potential cancer-control strategies. In addition, there are numerous situations where therapeutic treatments either require or would be assisted by vasculogenesis (the de novo formation of blood vessels). In particular, post-stroke therapies could include treatments that stimulate neovascularization of the affected tissues. The development of such treatments, however, requires thoroughly understanding the developmental properties of endothelial cells and the basic biology of blood vessel formation. While there are many books on angiogenesis, this unique book focuses on exactly this basic biology and explores blood vessel formation in connection with tissue development in a range of animal models. It includes detailed discussions of relevant cell biology, genetics and embryogenesis of blood vessel formation and presents insights into the cross-talk between developing blood vessels and other tissues. With contributions from vascular biologists, cell biologists and developmental biologists, a comprehensive and highly interdisciplinary volume is the outcome.