There are remarkable parallels between wound healing and cancer, at both the molecular and cellular levels, and it has been suggested that tumors use the wound healing response of the host to generate their own stroma. A particularly important component of the wound granulation tissue and the tumor stroma is the vasculature, which is essential for supplying the wound or tumor tissue with oxygen and nutrients. Thus, impaired angiogenesis is a hallmark of chronic, nonhealing ulcers, and stimulation of angiogenesis at the wound site is a promising treatment strategy. On the other hand, inhibition of angiogenesis is clinically used for the reduction of tumor growth. There are various growth factors and cytokines that stimulate angiogenesis in wounds and tumors. In particular, mem-bers of the vascular endothelial growth factor family are potent regulators of blood vessel and lymphangiogen-esis. In addition, certain members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family are also involved in the control of angiogenesis, in particular in wounds and in tumors.
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