Research overturns medical theory on blood vessel growth; drug discovery implications

New research conducted by a group of European Union-funded researchers is shedding new light on the way blood vessels grow, overturning many years of medical thought. The findings have important implications for the development of novel drugs to treat diseases such as cancer, many of which target the tumor's ability to grow its own blood vessels.

Angiogenesis is the process of growing new blood vessels, explains a statement on the European Commission's web site. It is a normal process in growth and development, and plays a key role in a number of diverse situations including healing wounds and traumas, cardiovascular disorders, inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and in cancer growth. However, it is also a fundamental step in the transition of tumors from a dormant state to a malignant state.

Current thinking holds that the endothelial cells which line the blood vessel wall have their origins in circulating stem cells which are first mobilized from the bone marrow. These subsequently differentiate to produce mature bona fide endothelial cells which are incorporated into the blood vessels.