The field of angiogenesis research was literally transformed overnight by the discovery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Researchers quickly embraced VEGF in their different areas of vascular and angiogenesis research, and in the last two decades have discovered much about VEGF...

The majority of bones in the skeleton develop through the process of endochondral ossification. During this process, avascular cartilage becomes gradually replaced by highly vascularized bone tissue. VEGF is an essential mediator of all 3 key vascularization stages of endochondral bone...

The cardiovascular system, consisting of the heart, blood vessels and hematopoietic cells, is the first organ system to develop in vertebrates and is essential for providing oxygen and nutrients to the embryo and adult organs. Work done predominantly using the mouse and zebrafish as model systems...

VEGF is best known for its angiogenic properties. Not only does it promote the growth of new blood vessels during embryonic development, it is also important in the adult, where it plays a role in maintaining an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to most tissues. VEGF gene regulation is...

Vasculogenesis is the process by which blood vessels are formed de novo. In mammals, vasculogenesis occurs in parallel with hematopoiesis, the formation of blood cells. Thus, it is debated whether vascular endothelial cells and blood cells are derived from a common progenitor. Whether or not this...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, VEGFA) is critical for blood vessel growth in the developing and adult nervous system of vertebrates. Several recent studies demonstrate that VEGF also promotes neurogenesis, neuronal patterning, neuroprotection and glial growth. For example, VEGF...

The cellular actions of VEGF need to be coordinated to guide vascular patterning during sprouting angiogenesis. Individual endothelial tip cells lead and guide the blood vessel sprout, while neighbouring stalk cells proliferate and form the vascular lumen. Recent studies illustrate how...

The secreted glycoprotein vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF or VEGFA) affects many different cell types and modifies a wide spectrum of cellular behaviours in tissue culture models, including proliferation, migration, differentiation and survival. The versatility of VEGF signalling is...