Angiogenesis in Health and Disease

Angiogenesis describes the formation of new blood vessels, which arise as outgrowths from existing vessels. In many physiological processes such as ovulation and wound healing angiogenesis is involved for a relatively short time. Otherwise under normal physiological conditions in the adult organism angiogenesis is an extremely slow process. By contrast in certain disease states such as diabetic retinopathy, arthritis, chronic inflammation, hemangiomas, etc., angiogenesis persists and contributes