The modes of angiogenesis: an updated perspective

Abstract

Following the process of vasculogenesis during development, angiogenesis generates new vascular structures through a variety of different mechanisms or modes. These different modes of angiogenesis involve, for example, increasing microvasculature density by sprouting of endothelial cells, splitting of vessels to increase vascular surface area by intussusceptive angiogenesis, fusion of capillaries to increase blood flow by coalescent angiogenesis, and the recruitment of non-endothelial cells by vasculogenic mimicry. The recent reporting on coalescent angiogenesis as a new mode of vessel formation warrants a brief overview of angiogenesis mechanisms to provide a more complete picture. The journal Angiogenesis is devoted to the delineation of the different modes and mechanisms that collectively dictate blood vessel formation, inhibition, and function in health and disease.

Figure 1

The 10 different modes of angiogenesis. 1. Vasculogenesis. 2. Post-natal angiogenesis. 3. Sprouting angiogenesis. 4. Intussusceptive angiogenesis. 5. Coalescent angiogenesis. 6. Vessel elongation. 7. Vessel cooption. 8. Endothelial-like differentiation of cancer cells. 9. Vasculogenic mimicry. 10. Lymphangiogenesis.