Chemical approaches to angiogenesis in development and regeneration

Research on blood vessel formation has provided a great deal of information regarding both normal and pathological forms of angiogenesis during development and in different disease states. Central to these studies is the role of the vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptors (VEGFRs). VEGF stimulation promotes the division, survival, and migration of endothelial cells, and is necessary for the formation of blood and lymphatic vessels. The conserved functions of the VEGF ligands and receptors from fish to mammals have allowed a near-seamless translation of a cellular and molecular mechanism of vascular assembly between vertebrate models. An added advantage to the conserved gene function is the ability to apply chemical approaches to modulate zebrafish angiogenesis. In this chapter we will discuss current and potential future uses of chemical strategies in the zebrafish model to further our understanding of angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and regenerative biology.