Cellular and Molecular Heterogeneity Associated with Vessel Formation Processes

Figure 6

Main signalling pathways coordinating the diversity of vessel formation processes. NOTCH, VEGF, and TGF-β molecular cascades interact, by triggering and/or repressing one or more cellular functions and processes of neovascularisation. EC: endothelial cell. SMC: smooth muscle cell. MSC: mesenchymal stem cell. EPC: endothelial progenitor cell. SDF-1: stromal cell-derived factor 1. VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor. CXCR4: C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4. Jag1: jagged 1. Dll4: delta-like 4. VEGFR2/3: vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2/3. NRP1: neuropilin-1. EphB2/4: ephrin B2/4. Dll2: delta-like 2. ERK1/2: extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. PI3K: phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Akt: protein-serine/threonine kinase. JNK1/2: c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/2. FAK: focal adhesion kinase. NO: nitric oxide. MMP9: matrix metalloproteinase 9. mKitL: membrane stem cell factor ligand. sKitL: soluble stem cell factor ligand. c-Kit: stem cell factor receptor. HSC: haematopoietic stem cell. Ang-1: angiopoietin 1. PDGF-β: platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta. HIF-1α: hypoxia-induced factor alpha. NF-κB: nuclear factor kappa B. PDGF-BB: platelet-derived growth factor BB. TGF-β1/2/3: transforming growth factor beta 1/2/3. TβR: transforming growth factor receptor. ALK1/5: activin receptor-like kinase 1/5. The pathway has been deposited on the open repository WikiPathways, available for consultation and further improvement on https://www.wikipathways.org/index.php/Pathway:WP4331.