title: The vascular compartments of neovascularization: spotlight on the microcirculation.
abstract: In this review, the compartments of the vasculature will be discussed with respect to their potential contribution to the build-up of a differentiated and functionally meaningful vessel system. Chronic ischemia of muscle tissue results in microvessel rarification, which represents a potential therapeutic target, given the viability of the parenchyma. In particular, a chain of microcirculatory events will be described which--after specific endothelial activation by growth factors--enhances capillary and microcirculatory vessel formation, Backward signalling is introduced as potential mechanism to induce collateral growth, recruiting pre-existent macrovessel networks for blood supply to the increased microcirculatory cross sectional area. Potential signal cascades will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine I, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany. christian.kupatt@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kupatt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D009569:Nitric Oxide