| Summary: | Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from existing vasculature, is a complex multi-step processinitiated by the secretion and action of soluble angiogenic factors. Thus degradation of extracellular matrixproteins and activation, proliferation, migration and organization into tubular structures of vascular endothelialcells and pericytes takes place. Formation of new blood vessels plays a key role in physiological processes involvingneovascularization, such as ovulation, placentation and embryogenesis. Moreover, angiogenesis is crucialfor benign and malignant neoplastic processes. Invasive cancer growth occurs as a result of formation of bloodvessels within a tumour that enable its growth, infiltration of tissues and genesis of metastases.
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