A New Mechanism to Develop Arteries
December 10, 2020
A recent study reveals a new cellular and molecular mechanism essential for the process of arterialization—the development of arteries from blood capillaries. Activation of this mechanism could improve the recovery of heart function after transient or long-term reduction in heart blood flow.
From left to right: Verónica Casquero, Sofía Sánchez, Irene García, Macarena Fernández, Wen Luo, Severin Muhleder, Lourdes García, Rui Benedito. [CNIC]
The research, done by a group at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) in Madrid, Spain, not only advances understanding of the biology of blood vessels, but also points the way to the design of new therapeutic strategies to induce vascularization and more effective blood perfusion of injured or ischemic tissues.