Essay from the year 2008 in the subject Medicine - Internal Medicine, grade: Excellent , Maastricht University, course: Cardiology and Vascular Medicine , language: English, abstract: Due to the fast growing field of molecular cardiology, mechanisms responsible for collateral artery growth (arteriogenesis) are widely unravelled. After coronary artery occlusion, flow shear stress induces endothelial cell expression and release of adhesion molecules and chemokines. Monocytes are attracted and transmigrate into the vessel wall to release pro-arteriogenic molecules. The process of collateral vessel growth is severely impaired in patients with different risk factors for atherosclerosis, as diabetes or hyperlipedemia. This can be attributed to the impaired migration capacity of monocytes towards pro-arteriogenic stimuli, like MCP-1 and VEGF-A. In these patients “at risk”, blood derived monocytes offer a possibility to predict the individual ability to form functional collaterals by an in vitro performed migration assay. Furthermore, growth factor therapy can be used to enhance and restore collateral growth in patients with impaired arteriogenesis. Here, the migration assay could perfectly be used to for individual adjustment of therapeutical interventions.

For many years, arteriogenesis, also called collateral formation, has been regarded as being a beneficial process to restore blood flow to distal tissues in occluded arteries. Therefore, it is frequently referred to in relation to therapeutic angiogenesis. Despite the big clinical potential and the many promising clinical trials on arteriogenesis and therapeutic angiogenesis, the exact molecular mechanisms involved in the multifactorial processes of arteriogenesis are still not completely understood. A better understanding is needed in order to define successful clinical therapies. In this Special Issue, multiple aspects of arteriogenesis and therapeutic angiogenesis will be addressed, ranging from the role of inflammatory processes and immune cells, to growth factors, microRNAs and environmental factors like hypoxia. Therapeutic angiogenesis will also be discussed in relation to the atherosclerosis and intraplaque angiogenesis in hypoxic lesions, as well as specific forms of arteriogenesis in relation to spinal cord blood supply and aorta surgery. The effects of exercise, a frequently prescribed therapy for PAD patients, on arteriogenesis are also discussed. Overall, the papers in this Special Issue on arteriogenesis and therapeutic angiogenesis provide important new insights in the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of these complex processes and may be helpful to define a successful future intervention directed at therapeutic angiogenesis.

The ESC Textbook of Vascular Biology is a rich and clearly laid-out guide by leading European scientists providing comprehensive information on vascular physiology, disease, and research.

Angiogenesis, the development of new blood vessels from the existing vasculature, is essential for physiological growth and over 18,000 research articles have been published describing the role of angiogenesis in over 70 different diseases, including cancer, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. One of the most important technical challenges in such studies has been finding suitable methods for assessing the effects of regulators of eh angiogenic response. While increasing numbers of angiogenesis assays are being described both in vitro and in vivo, it is often still necessary to use a combination of assays to identify the cellular and molecular events in angiogenesis and the full range of effects of a given test protein. Although the endothelial cell - its migration, proliferation, differentiation and structural rearrangement - is central to the angiogenic process, it is not the only cell type involved. the supporting cells, the extracellular matrix and the circulating blood with its cellular and humoral components also contribute. In this book, experts in the use of a diverse range of assays outline key components of these and give a critical appraisal of their strengths and weaknesses. Examples include assays for the proliferation, migration and differentiation of endothelial cells in vitro, vessel outgrowth from organ cultures, assessment of endothelial and mural cell interactions, and such in vivo assays as the chick chorioallantoic membrane, zebrafish, corneal, chamber and tumour angiogenesis models. These are followed by a critical analysis of the biological end-points currently being used in clinical trials to assess the clinical efficacy of anti-angiogenic drugs, which leads into a discussion of the direction future studies should take. This valuable book is of interest to research scientists currently working on angiogenesis in both the academic community and in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Relevant disciplines include cell and molecular biology, oncology, cardiovascular research, biotechnology, pharmacology, pathology and physiology.

​Vascular management and care has become a truly multidisciplinary enterprise as the number of specialists involved in the treatment of patients with vascular diseases has steadily increased. While in the past, treatments were delivered by individual specialists, in the twenty-first century a team approach is without doubt the most effective strategy. In order to promote professional excellence in this dynamic and rapidly evolving field, a shared knowledge base and interdisciplinary standards need to be established. Pan Vascular Medicine, 2nd edition has been designed to offer such an interdisciplinary platform, providing vascular specialists with state-of-the art descriptive and procedural knowledge. Basic science, diagnostics, and therapy are all comprehensively covered. In a series of succinct, clearly written chapters, renowned specialists introduce and comment on the current international guidelines and present up-to-date reviews of all aspects of vascular care.

This wide ranging work provides a complete representation of the present state of knowledge of the vascular endothelium. The volume comprises 20 chapters by experts who have made significant contributions to research in the vascular endothelium. The text discusses the structure, development and function of the normal vascular endothelium, considers conditions that lead to the disruption of vascular physiology and provides a comprehensive description of pathologies and their treatment.

In this book/CD-ROM package, Raizada (physiology and functional genomics, University of Florida) brings together scientists and clinicians from around the world to explore recent molecular approaches to understanding the cardiovascular system in health and disease. Contributors cover disease states ranging from vascular and cardiac dysfunction to stroke and hypertension, and describe methods for identifying the genes that cause susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases. The CD-ROM contains an electronic version of the book that can be used on a PC or PDA. The audience for the book includes cardiovascular researchers, clinical fellows, and pharmacologists. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

New updated edition first published with Cambridge University Press. This new edition includes 29 chapters on topics as diverse as pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, vascular haemodynamics, haemostasis, thrombophilia and post-amputation pain syndromes.

Perfect for residents, generalists, anesthesiologists, emergency department physicians, medical students, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who need a practical, working knowledge of cardiology, Netter's Cardiology, 3rd Edition, provides a concise overview of cardiovascular disease highlighted by unique, memorable Netter illustrations. This superb visual resource showcases the well-known work of Frank H. Netter, MD, and his successor, Carlos Machado, MD, a cardiologist who has created clear, full-color illustrations in the Netter tradition. New features and all-new chapters keep you up to date with the latest information in the field. - Includes 13 all-new chapters: Basic Anatomy and Embryology of the Heart, Stem Cell Therapies for Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Events, Clinical Presentation of Adults with Congenital Heart Disease, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism, and more. - Features new coverage of 3-D TEE imaging for structural heart procedures. - Contains color-coded diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms and clinical pathways. - Uses an easy-to-follow, templated format, covering etiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, and management/therapy for each topic. - Offers dependable clinical advice from Drs. George A. Stouffer, Marschall S. Runge, Cam Patterson, and Joseph S. Rossi, as well as many world-renowned chapter contributors.

Atherosclerosis is the most significant cause of cardiovascular disease worldwide. Vascular biology is the key to understanding how atherosclerosis arises and operates. The ESC Textbook of Vascular Biology is a rich and clearly laid-out guide by leading European scientists providing comprehensive information on vascular physiology, disease, and reasearch. The textbook covers molecular findings and novel targets within the speciality while also providing the basics of vascular biology and disease pathophysiology. It also covers the major changes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis that have occurred in recent years, developments and recent breakthroughs in the field are specifically highlighted. The official publication of the ESC Working Group on Arthrosclerosis and Vascular Biology, this print edition comes with access to the online version on Oxford Medicine Online, for as long as the edition is published by Oxford University Press. By activating your unique access code, you can read and annotate the full text online, follow links from the references to primary research materials, and view, enlarge and download all the figures and tables. The textbook particularly appeals to vascular biologists, cardiologists, and other practising clinicians.