Angiogenesis in female reproductive system

Abstract

Neovascularization, i.e. new blood vessels formation, can be divided into two different processes: vasculogene-sis, whereby a primitive vascular network is established during embryogenesis from multipotential mesenchymal progenitors; and angiogenesis, which refers to the new blood vessels formation from pre-existing vessels[1,2].Angiogenesis contributes to the most process throughout the whole life span from embryonic development to adult growth’21. In this meaning, neovascularization is usually used to imply angiogenesis. Under physiological conditions, angiogenesis is a strictly regulated event and rarely happens in most adult tissues except for fracture or healing of wounds[2,3]. However, a notable phenomenon is that the tissues of ovary and uterine endometnum are unique in the cycle-specific changes in vascularity that occur in each estrous/menstrual cycle. Active angiogenesis occurs in placenta to satisfy the needs of embryonic implantation and development. Defects in angiogenesis are associated wit