Angiogenic

Angiogenic is an adjective relating to angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature. Angiogenesis is essential for embryonic development, wound healing, and placentation, but its dysregulation contributes to many diseases. The process is driven by hypoxia or other stimuli that activate signaling pathways, especially hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), which upregulates proangiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), angiopoietins, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). These signals promote endothelial proliferation, migration, basement membrane degradation, lumen formation, and maturation with pericytes.

In pathology, tumors often undergo an angiogenic switch that sustains growth and facilitates metastasis. Aberrant angiogenesis also occurs in age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and endometriosis.

Therapeutically, anti-angiogenic strategies aim to suppress vessel growth, most notably VEGF inhibitors such as bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept, used in cancer and eye diseases. Conversely, pro-angiogenic approaches attempt to enhance vascularization in ischemic tissue or after injury, but clinical use remains limited by safety concerns.

Assessment of angiogenic potential can involve in vitro assays of endothelial tube formation or migration, and in vivo models, as well as biomarkers like VEGF levels or microvessel density.

The term angiogenic therefore describes biological processes, mediators, and clinical applications related to the formation of blood vessels.