Regulators of angiogenesis: Stimulators, inhibitors, and extracellular matrix

Changing Roles of Matrix Metalloproteases and Their Inhibitors, TIMPs, During Tumor Progression and Angiogenesis

Inhibition of matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) has been shown in vivo to decrease metastasis and tumor-associated angiogenesis. Our laboratory is interested in understanding the role of these proteins at the pericellular microenvironment of tumor and endothelial cells. Secretion of MMPs by tumor cells enables the migration, invasion and metasta...

Extracellular Matrix Proteins and Tumor Angiogenesis

Tumor development is a complex process that relies on interaction and communication between a number of cellular compartments. Much of the mass of a solid tumor is comprised of the stroma which is richly invested with extracellular matrix. Within this matrix are a host of matricellular proteins that regulate the expression and function of a myriad of proteins that regulate tumorigenic processes...

Endogenous Matrix-Derived Inhibitors of Angiogenesis

Endogenous inhibitors of angiogenesis are proteins or fragments of proteins that are formed in the body, which can inhibit the angiogenic process. These molecules can be found both in the circulation and sequestered in the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding cells. Many matrix-derived inhibitors of angiogenesis, such as endostatin, tumstatin, canstatin and arresten, are bioactive fragments o...

GFP-expressing vascularization of Gelfoam as a rapid in vivo assay of angiogenesis stimulators and inhibitors.

Extracellular Matrix, a Hard Player in Angiogenesis

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex network of proteins, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and polysaccharides. Through multiple interactions with each other and the cell surface receptors, not only the ECM determines the physical and mechanical properties of the tissues, but also profoundly influences cell behavior and many physiological and pathological processes. One of the functions tha...