Description
Vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor (VPF/VEGF), a potent cytokine expressed by most malignant tumors, has critical roles in vasculogenesis and both physiological and pathological angiogenesis.VEGF produced by tumor cells potently stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis and plays a key role in the pathophysiology of several neoplasias. VEGF may also play a pivotal role in mediating the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy.VEGF, a major regulator of angiogenesis, binds to two receptor tyrosine kinases, KDR/Flk-1 and Flt-1. The VEGF gene is mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization to chromosome 6p12