Blood, Sweat, And Tears. Angiogenesis, Angiogenesis-Dependent Diseases, And Angiogenesis-Interfering Therapies

Abstract

Accumulating evidence indicates that defects in angiogenesis - the formation of either excessive or insufficient blood vessels from an existing vasculature - play important roles in the pathogenesis of a multitude of seemingly unrelated disorders such as cancer, a number of ocular conditions, certain skin diseases, as well as impaired wound healing. These findings have led to the development of various pro- and antiangiogenic compounds and devices to treat these conditions. This article addresses a few historical highlights in the field of angiogenesis, describes the involvement of this phenomenon in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases, reflects on currently available anti- and proangiogenic therapeutic strategies, and presents a research program in Suriname aimed at the identification of plant-derived substances with potential angiogenesis-interfering properties.