Angiogenesis in health and disease: insights into basic mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

Angiogenesis, the process that leads to the formation of new blood vessels or neovascularization, continues to be a topic of major scientific and public interest. As knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that regulate neovascularization continues to emerge, there is increasing hope that new discoveries will lead to newer therapies that target angiogenesis as a reliable option for disease therapy. For example, it may be possible to develop strategies that, on the one hand, are designed to limit angiogenesis for the treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer or rheumatoid arthritis and, on the other, to promote angiogenesis in the ischemic heart or diabetic limb. With the emergence of tissue engineering as a discipline, it has become increasingly clear that long-term success in organ and tissue reconstruction will depend on the ability to develop a stable, renewable supply of blood vessels. In this review, I will provide a brief overview of this remarkably versatile biological response and discuss how recent discoveries in the field of angiogenesis have influenced the development of novel therapies, forced a reconsideration of conventional therapies, and revolutionized approaches to organ and tissue reconstruction.