Main description:

The book presents the overview of the current knowledge in some fields of vascular biology, addressing cellular and molecular aspects of blood-vessel formation and their role in health and disease. The major factors involved in the formation of blood vessels are presented by scientists actively involved in this area of research. Special emphasis is put on the presentation of various molecular mechanisms not addressed in similar works to date. The book is divided into three parts. The first part describes the cells and mediators in angiogenesis. The significance of various populations of potential endothelial progenitors is particularly highlighted. The chapters of the second part focus on molecular mechanisms, with special emphasis on the role of hypoxia, gasotransmitters and reactive oxygen species as well as microRNAs in regulation of angiogenic processes. In the third part, the pathological aspects of disturbed - aggravated or impaired - vascularization are discussed and new modalities for potential therapies are presented. The book is intended for scientists and PhD students in the fields of vascular biology and cancer research. It may be of interest for medical professionals in the fields of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, oncology and rheumatoid arthritis.

Contents:

Cells and mediators: Endothelial cell origin, differentiation, heterogeneity and function.- Developmental and pathological lymphangiogenesis.- Vascular resident endothelial side population cells.- Multiple role of proteases in angiogenesis.- Serpins in angiogenesis.- Molecular mechanisms: Endothelial transcriptional networks in the control of angiogenesis: the ETS factor.- Insights into roles of immediate-early genes in angiogenesis.- Molecular mechanisms of hypoxia-regulated angiogenesis.- MicroRNA Regulation of Angiogenesis.- Nrf2 transcription factor and heme oxygenase-1 as modulators of vascular injury and angiogenesis.- Metabolism of methylarginines and angiogenesis.- The Vasohibin Family: Novel Regulators of Angiogenesis.- Diseases and Therapy: Hypoxia-induced pathological angiogenesis in zebrafish.- Tumor angiogenesis: Fishing for screening models.- Vascular complications in diabetes.- Angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis.- Angiogenic signaling and structural abnormalities in tumors.- Endothelium in pathologic angiogenesis and angiogenesis-mediated therapies.