Role and Therapeutic Potential of VEGF in the Nervous System

The Vesalius Research Center, KU Leuven and VIB, Leuven, Belgium The development of the nervous and vascular systems constitutes primary events in the evolution of the animal kingdom; the former provides electrical stimuli and coordination, while the latter supplies oxygen and nutrients. Both system...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physiological reviews 2009-04, Vol.89 (2), p.607-648
Main Authors: Ruiz de Almodovar, Carmen, Lambrechts, Diether, Mazzone, Massimiliano, Carmeliet, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Disease Models, Animal
Humans
Molecular structure
Nervous system
Nervous System - physiopathology
Nervous System Diseases - physiopathology
Nervous System Physiological Phenomena
Neurodegenerative Diseases - physiopathology
Neurological disorders
Neuronal Plasticity - physiology
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - physiopathology
Physiology
Proteins
Therapy
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - physiology
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Summary:The Vesalius Research Center, KU Leuven and VIB, Leuven, Belgium The development of the nervous and vascular systems constitutes primary events in the evolution of the animal kingdom; the former provides electrical stimuli and coordination, while the latter supplies oxygen and nutrients. Both systems have more in common than originally anticipated. Perhaps the most striking observation is that angiogenic factors, when deregulated, contribute to various neurological disorders, such as neurodegeneration, and might be useful for the treatment of some of these pathologies. The prototypic example of this cross-talk between nerves and vessels is the vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF. Although originally described as a key angiogenic factor, it is now well established that VEGF also plays a crucial role in the nervous system. We describe the molecular properties of VEGF and its receptors and review the current knowledge of its different functions and therapeutic potential in the nervous system during development, health, disease and in medicine.
ISSN:0031-9333
1522-1210
DOI:10.1152/physrev.00031.2008