The main difference between angiogenesis and vasculogenesis is that angiogenesis is the formation of blood vessels from pre-existing capillary structures, whereas vasculogenesis is the formation of blood vessels from primordial endothelial stem cells.
Angiogenesis and vasculogenesis are two physiological processes through which blood vessels form. They are important for the embryonic development of the circulatory system.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Angiogenesis
– Definition, Features, Importance
2. What is Vasculogenesis
– Definition, Features, Importance
3. Similarities Between Angiogenesis and Vasculogenesis
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Angiogenesis and Vasculogenesis
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Angiogenesis, Vasculogenesis
What is Angiogenesis
Angiogenesis is one of the mechanisms that form blood vessels during embryonic development. Along with vasculogenesis, it forms the yolk sac circulation. In the yolk sac circulation, angiogenesis is responsible for the remodeling and expansion of the vascular network. Angiogenesis has two mechanisms. They are endothelial sprouting and intussusceptive microvascular growth (IMG). The sprouting process occurs according to the cell migration, proliferation, and tube formation in endothelial cells. Meanwhile, IMG forms and inserts tissue folds and columns into the vessel lumen from interstitial tissue.
Figure 1: Angiogenesis
Furthermore, angiogenesis is the physiological process of forming new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. It occurs in the earlier stage of vasculogenesis, the other method of forming blood vessels. Overall, angiogenesis is an important process in growth and development. It is also important in wound healing and in granular tissue formation. Apart from that, angiogenesis is a fundamental process of the transition of a tumor from the benign state to the malignant state. Therefore, angiogenesis inhibitors are an important type of medication in cancer.
What is Vasculogenesis
Vasculogenesis is the other physiological process of forming blood vessels in embryonic development. Most importantly, it gives rise to the heart and the first primitive vascular plexus in the yolk sac circulation. Vasculogenesis is the in-situ formation of blood vessels from the hemangioblasts derived from the mesoderm. Vasculogenesis is a de novo production of endothelial cells, sometimes paired with angiogenesis. Endothelial precursor cells migrate and differentiate according to growth factors or extracellular matrices, forming new blood cells.
Figure 2: Angiogenesis and Vasculogenesis
Moreover, vasculogenesis occurs during the embryonic development of the circulatory system. In adult organisms, vasculogenesis occurs from circulating endothelial progenitor cells. Examples of vasculogenesis in adults include tumors, neovascularization after trauma, and endometriosis, a disease in the female reproductive system.
Similarities Between Angiogenesis and Vasculogenesis
- Angiogenesis and vasculogenesis are two processes of the formation of blood vessels.
- They are important in the formation of blood vessels in embryonic development.
- They are important in tumor formation as well.
Difference Between Angiogenesis and Vasculogenesis
Definition
Angiogenesis refers to the process that forms new capillaries out of existing blood vessels in your body. Meanwhile, vasculogenesis refers to the formation of primitive vascular structures during embryogenesis via the differentiation of endothelial precursor cells.
Importance
Moreover, angiogenesis remodels and expands the yolk sac circulation, while vasculogenesis forms the heart and the first primitive vascular plexus in the yolk sac circulation.
Mechanism
Angiogenesis has two mechanisms: endothelial sprouting and intussusceptive microvascular growth (IMG), while vasculogenesis involves the in-situ differentiation and growth of blood vessels from hemangioblasts.
Conclusion
In brief, Angiogenesis and vasculogenesis are two types of physiological processes that involve the formation of blood vessels. Angiogenesis is responsible for the formation of blood vessels from the existing blood vessels. In embryonic development, it remodels and expands the yolk sac circulation. It has two mechanisms: endothelial sprouting and intussusceptive microvascular growth (IMG). On the other hand, vasculogenesis is the formation of primitive vascular structure formation via endothelial precursor cells. It involves the formation of the heart and the first primitive plexus in the yolk sac circulation. The mechanism of vasculogenesis is the in-situ differentiation and growth of blood vessels from hemangioblasts. Therefore, the main difference between angiogenesis and vasculogenesis is the mechanism of formation of blood vessels.
References:
- Patan S. Vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Cancer Treat Res. 2004;117:3-32. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-8871-3_1. PMID: 15015550.
Image Courtesy:
- “Angiogenesis medical animation still” By www.scientificanimations.com – Own work (CC-BY SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
- “Angiogenesis” By puttinpurin1108 – Own Work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
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