Angiogenesis.

The regulation of the architecture of the vascular system is an exiting and important area of research in developmental and vascular biology. The formation of blood vessels is a vital process in embryonic development and in physiological repair processes, such as wound healing and cyclical adaptations in the endometrium during the menstrual cycle. Disturbed vascular growth is now regarded as a key event in a variety of pathologies. Uninhibited blood vessel growth has been associated with various neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. This is widely accepted for tumor growth and diabetic retinopathy, but is now also believed to occur in psoriasis, atherosclerotic plaque growth and rheumatoid arthritis [1]. A lack of blood vessel growth is a key event in other pathologies. Certain developmental disorders, such as bowel atresia and unilateral facial atrophy, may arise from abnormal vascular development [1]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]