Endocrine Abstracts

Angiogenesis has been shown to be fundamental for follicle development; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), the major pro-angiogenetic factor, plays a critical role in the control of the follicular growth. Akt signalling is involved in VEGF transduction (Zachary, 2003) thus regulating multiple steps in angiogenesis. Sanguinarine (SA), an alkaloid isolated from Sanguinaria Canadensis, is known for its antiangiogenetic effects by suppressing basal and VEGF-induced ...

Angiogenesis, the process by which new blood vessels are formed from preexisting vasculature, is an essential feature of female reproductive cycles. Since angiogenesis involves migration and invasion of endothelial cells into surrounding tissues, proteases such as the Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of soluble proteolytic enzymes, are critically important in this process (Rundhaug, 2005); moreover, they play a key role in extracellular matrix remodelling, a process ...

It is well-known that follicular development is associated with many morphological and functional changes. As long as the follicle develops and matures to the preovulatory stage, the availability of oxygen progressively diminishes and the environment becomes hypoxic; one of the most important effects induced by hypoxia on granulosa cells is the induction of angiogenesis. Our aims were: 1) to investigate whether hypoxia alters the production of estrogen and progesterone in swin...