Recent Advances in Angiogenesis and Vascular Development

A Special Issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737) belonging to the section "Cell Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2026) | Viewed by 840

Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
Interests: angiogenesis; neurovascular unit; blood-brain barrier; cerebrovascular disease; small vessel malformations; mechanotransduction; inherited retinal dystrophies; oxidative stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
Interests: molecular genetics and predictive medicine; molecular biology; genetics; DNA sequencing; population genetics; SNPs; genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular diseases; cerebral cavernous malformations; identification of candidate genes and causative variants in different forms of retinitis pigmentosa; molecular genetic features and genotype–phenotype correlations in trimethylaminuria
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to the relevance of the vascular component in both physiological and pathological conditions, the characterization of pathways related to vasculogenesis and angiogenesis is one of the most investigated research fields. In addition to the conventional biochemical pathways, the role of mechanical cues in driving vessel development and differentiation is strongly considered. In detail, matrix stiffness and hemodynamic forces contribute to vascular morphogenesis from the earliest developmental stages. Finally, the contribution of the vascular component to diseases is well established. Targeting coding and noncoding RNAs involved in the angiogenic process is proving to be an effective strategy to treat several pathological conditions and, in particular, cancer progression. Likewise, the role of the endothelium in neurodegeneration has been confirmed. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to collect research articles and reviews focused on the molecular aspects of vessel development and remodeling.

Vascular morphogenesis begins during early embryonic development and continues throughout adulthood through remodeling processes. Proper vessel development requires the integration of both biochemical and mechanical factors. Vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and arterialization are the three main processes that drive vessel network formation. While vasculogenesis occurs only during development, angiogenesis and vascular remodeling are also common in adulthood. Impaired angiogenesis is frequently observed in pathological conditions, including congenital vascular malformations, atherosclerosis, cancer, and neurodegeneration.

This Special Issue has been conceived in light of the growing attention that the scientific community is devoting to the characterization of the mechanisms underlying vessel development. It aims to collect research articles, reviews, and communications addressing both physiological and pathological vascular development, as well as clarifying the role of the vascular component in disease onset.

Dr. Concetta Scimone
Dr. Rosalia D’Angelo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • vasculogenesis
  • angiogenesis
  • vascular differentiation markers
  • endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT)
  • mechanotransduction
  • endothelial function
  • endothelial damage

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

26 pages, 1632 KB  
Review
Molecular Mechanisms of Vasculogenesis in Human Cancers: From Developmental Pathways to Tumor Vascular Remodeling and Therapeutic Targeting
by George-Jemal Gogitidze
Biology 2026, 15(16), 1362; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15161362 - 11 Aug 2026
Viewed by 462
Abstract
Vasculogenesis, the de novo formation of blood vessels from endothelial progenitor cells, is increasingly recognized as a critical contributor to tumor vascularization, complementing classical angiogenesis and promoting cancer progression, metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and disease recurrence. This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive [...] Read more.
Vasculogenesis, the de novo formation of blood vessels from endothelial progenitor cells, is increasingly recognized as a critical contributor to tumor vascularization, complementing classical angiogenesis and promoting cancer progression, metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and disease recurrence. This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms governing vasculogenesis across human malignancies and to discuss their translational relevance for targeted cancer therapy. This is a narrative, mechanistically oriented review rather than a systematic review or meta-analysis. The literature was searched in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, with the primary search covering publications from January 2010 to February 2026, while seminal earlier studies were included when they established fundamental concepts in vascular biology. Search terms included combinations of “vasculogenesis”, “tumor vasculogenesis”, “angiogenesis”, “endothelial progenitor cells”, “vascular remodeling”, “VEGF”, “HIF-1α”, “Notch”, “Wnt”, “PI3K/AKT”, “TGF-β”, “EndMT”, “mechanotransduction”, “non-coding RNAs”, “tumor microenvironment”, and “cancer”. Evidence was qualitatively appraised and synthesized according to mechanistic relevance and consistency across experimental and clinical studies. The reviewed literature highlights the complex interplay between developmental signaling pathways, endothelial plasticity, mechanical cues, inflammatory mediators, and non-coding RNAs in regulating tumor vasculogenesis. Collectively, these findings suggest that targeting vasculogenesis-related pathways may complement existing anti-angiogenic therapies and represent a promising strategy for improving precision oncology and overcoming treatment resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Angiogenesis and Vascular Development)
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