Περίληψη:
The angiopoietin (Ang) family of growth factors includes four members,
all of which bind to the endothelial receptor tyrosine kinase Tie2. Two
of the Angs, Ang-1 and Ang-4, activate the Tie2 receptor, whereas Ang-2
and Ang-3 inhibit Ang-1-induced Tie2 phosphorylation. While genetic
models have underscored the importance of Angs in the developing
cardiovascular system, other studies have demonstrated that Ang-1
promotes endothelial cell survival, sprouting and tube formation. More
recently, a new aspect of the biology of this class of growth factors
has emerged, namely the ability of Ang-1 to reduce inflammation. This
review presents an outline of Angs and their receptors, examining their
structure, expression, signalling, regulation and biological
significance and comments on the role and potential usefulness of Angs
in medicine.
Συγγραφείς:
Tsigkos, S
Koutsilieris, M
Papapetropoulos, A
