Angiogenic growth factors: A review for tissue engineering

Defined as the growth of new blood vessels, angiogenesis remains an enigmatic result of cytokine action in many settings. Therapeutic stimulation of angiogenesis' could relieve ischemic conditions in diseased states (e.g., peripheral vascular disease and myocardial ischemia), Currently, the following growth factors show promise for clinical applications: vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factors, platelet-derived growth factors, transforming growth factor-beta, and osteonectin, In the field of tissue engineering, induced vascularization could rescue necrotic tissue, encourage infiltration of a scaffold, and perfuse de novo tissues. Effective packaging and delivery of angiogenic growth factors, whether alone or in conjunction with biologically compatible devices, will be an important element for the successful engineering of tissue replacement technologies.