Comparative vascular biology: a more comprehensive approach to the analysis of circulatory system development

Abstract

The importance of the vasculature in tumor progression and metastasis is widely accepted. Studies on the regulation of blood vessel formation have potential implications on devising pro- and anti-angiogenic therapies for combating ischemic diseases or cancer, respectively. These studies depend on a detailed understanding of the molecular-genetic and cellular mechanisms of blood vessel formation. However, the limited knowledge of gene expression changes that occur in normal vascular development and in tumor angiogenesis has hindered the development of specific treatments and therapies. As molecules and mechanisms in development are often conserved, studying development of circulatory systems in various models has given insights into mammalian vascular development. The current focus is on comparative studies between vertebrate and invertebrate models to elucidate common themes in the development of circulatory systems.