title: Modeling the early stages of vascular network assembly.
abstract: In vertebrates, networks of capillary vessels supply tissues with nutrients. Capillary patterns are closely mimicked by endothelial cells cultured on basement membrane proteins that allow single randomly dispersed cells to self-organize into vascular networks. Here we provide a model including chemoattraction as the fundamental mechanism for cell-to-cell communication in order to identify key parameters in the complexity of the formation of vascular patterns. By flanking biological experiments, theoretical insights and numerical simulations, we provide strong evidence that endothelial cell number and the range of activity of a chemoattractant factor regulate vascular network formation and size. We propose a mechanism linking the scale of formed endothelial structures to the range of cell-to-cell interaction mediated by the release of chemoattractants.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment and Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Torino, 10060 Candiolo (TO).
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serini
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ambrosi
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giraudo
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gamba
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Preziosi
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bussolino
mesh_terms: D002196:Capillaries / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
chemical_list: D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A