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VEGF: an Essential Mediator of Both Angiogenesis and Endochondral Ossification

The Biomedical and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, 34 Hospital Road, Hong Kong SAR, China

View larger version (54K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1. Schematic representation of the role of VEGF in mandibular condylar growth. The mandibular condyle is histologically distinguishable as 5 different layers: the fibrus, proliferative, chondroblast, hypertrophic, and erosive layers. Mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into chondroblasts, which form the framework of the cartilage matrix. VEGF, released from hypertrophic chondrocytes, induces endothelial cell invasion, which in turn induces vascular channel formation in the terminal layer of hypertrophic cartilage. The invading blood vessels bring progenitor mesenchymal cells, which later differentiate into the osteoblasts and chondroclasts/osteoclasts involved in endochondral ossification. Some growth factors regulate VEGF expression and participate in different stages of endochondral ossification.

View larger version (37K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 2. VEGF-A isoforms. There are at least 6 different isoforms of VEGF-A that arise by alternative exon splicing. VEGF165 is the predominant molecular species among the isoforms.

View larger version (29K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 3. Schematic representation of the VEGF receptors and their ligands. The tyrosine kinase receptors (VEGFR-1/Flt-1, VEGFR-2/KDR/Flk-1, VEGFR-3/Flt-4) are organized into 7 extracellular immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains. VEGF binding has been localized to the second and third Ig-like domains. The fourth Ig-like domains are thought to interact directly with each other in a ligand-induced receptor dimer. In VEGFR-3, the fifth Ig domain is replaced by a disulfide bridge. The extracellular domain is followed by a single transmembrane region, a split tyrosine-kinase domain. The interaction of VEGFR-1, -2 with either NRP-1, -2, or HSPG may facilitate the binding of VEGF to its receptor.

View larger version (31K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 4. Schematic representation of the role of VEGF and the corresponding receptors on osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and chondroclasts/osteoclasts.

Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 86, No. 10, 937-950 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/154405910708601006


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