The Role of Microenvironment in the Control of Tumor Angiogenesis

This work describes the importance of tumor microenvironment in favouring tumor progression and angiogenesis. Under physiological conditions, angiogenesis is dependent on the balance of positive and negative angiogenic modulators within the vascular microenvironment and requires the functional activities of a number of molecules, including angiogenic factors, extracellular matrix proteins, adhesion molecules and proteolytic enzymes. In normal tissues, vascular quiescence is maintained by the dom