Micro-RNA–Regulated Proangiogenic Signaling in Arteriovenous Loops in Patients with Combined Vascular and Soft-Tissue Reconstructions: Revisiting the Nutrient Flap Concept

Abstract

The authors' findings demonstrate that elevated shear stress triggers proangiogenic signaling pathways in human venous tissue, indicating that arteriovenous loops may have the ability to induce neoangiogenesis in humans. The authors' data corroborate the nutrient flap hypothesis and provide a molecular background for arteriovenous loop-based tissue engineering with potential clinical applications for soft-tissue defect reconstruction.