New blood vessels usually develop in places where they are most needed. A prime example
of neovascularization representing a positive feedback response to insufficient perfusion is
the development of collateral blood vessels in the ischemic myocardium and leg. The recent
discoveries of hypoxia-inducible transcription and angiogenic factors have provided
important mechanistic links between the metabolic consequences of ischemia and
compensatory angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has emerged as the …