ABSTRACT
The ability to control the assembly of vascular networks is critical for the development of therapies in a number of areas of medicine. This includes the treatment of ischemic tissues (e.g., peripheral limbs, myocardium), enhancing healing of chronic wounds, improving survival of transplanted tissues and organs, and reconstruction or regeneration of tissues in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Angiogenesis is the dynamic interplay of various growth factors that regulate proliferation, differentiation, and recruitment of cells that results in new blood vessel formation from existing vasculature. Growth factor families such as vascular endothelial growth factors, fibroblast growth factors, platelet-derived growth factors, angiopoietins, and transforming growth factors are known to play major roles in initiating and regulating vessel formation, maturation, and stabilization. The spatial and temporal distribution of growth factors influences the density of blood vessels as well as their structural and functional characteristics. Control over the delivery of these growth factors has been investigated as a method to stimulate the formation of vascular networks that recapitulate structural and functional aspects of healthy blood vessels. Numerous delivery approaches have been investigated to enhance angiogenesis process, including systemic or localized delivery, spatially controlled delivery, temporally controlled delivery of single or multiple growth factors, and stimuli-responsive delivery to control the concentration and bioavailability of factors within specific tissues or organs. This chapter will provide a brief overview of common angiogenic proteins involved in angiogenesis and various delivery approaches with the focus on controlled delivery.
