| For more than 100 years since 1870 it
was believed that tumour hyperaemia was due to simple dilatation
of host blood vessels. In 1971, for the first time in 100 years, a
hypothesis was proposed that tumour growth could be angiogenesis
dependent. Eventual acceptance of this hypothesis was slow. It was
until mid-1980s, after a series of reports from several
laboratories demonstrating that tumour growth was angiogenesis
dependent that this hypothesis was confirmed by genetic me
The fastest cell division and turnover inm normal adult is bone
marrow. In normal adult bone marrow, 6 billion cell division
occur per hour and the turnover time is about 5 days. In retinal
vasculature the endothelial cell turnover is more than 5000 days.
Endothelial cells can emerge from their resting stage and
proliferate as rapidly as the bone marrow cells. This process is
known as angiogenesis and leads to neovasculization.
Physiologic angiogenesis is tightly regulated and of limited
duration. It is essential to reproduction and embryonic
development. During normal human activities angiogenesis is
regularly seen in wound repair and in injured muscles.
Conversely, pathologic angiogenesis is usually persistent. They
are found in almost all specialty of medicine. In oncology,
angiogenesis supports the growth of solid tumours and leukaemias.
Angiogenesis inhibitors are a new class of drugs that suppress
or reverse the pathologic neovascularization. Research in this
area is moving at an alarming speed throughout the world with new
publications available almost on a weekly basis.
If you have questions related to this article you may e-mail me
at doctor@soontongkiong.com quoting the contents of the article.
About the author
DR SOON is a medical practitioner. He holds four degrees. MBBS
(University of Malaya), MBA (University of East Asia), LLB (Hons)
(University of Wolverhampton), Master of Medicine (Edith Cowan
University
:
Dr SOON is the owner of AskMyVisitor.com and
MyScriptDoctor.com
where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information
on
many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
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