What is the significance of angiogenesis?

Angiogenesis assists in the body to heal from wounds and carry out various vital functions like migration, growth, and differentiation of endothelial cells. Angiogenesis heals wounds by forming new blood vessels and invading the wound clot, organizing it into a microvascular network throughout the granulation tissue. Angiogenesis begins before one is born and continues throughout life. Thus it is a necessary process for the growth required by the body for proper functioning. Angiogenesis also allows for the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs. Capillaries are small blood vessels which deliver blood, nutrients, and oxygen to organs. If some tissues experience hypoxia, cells in the affected area send out chemical signals which trigger the process of angiogenesis. In response, endothelial cells arrange themselves in a manner that allows new capillaries to form. Angiogenesis also has an important role in the formation of cancer, as tumors need a blood supply to grow and multiply. Since that association was established, many antiangiogenic compounds have been created to stop cancers from growing or progressing further. The reasoning being that cutting the blood supply would starve the tumor. Antiangiogenic cancer drugs such as axitinib or bevacizumab have been developed to treat patients.