Hypoxia Triggers Angiogenesis Signaling

Hypoxia, or low oxygen, can trigger angiogenesis signaling in tissues that need more blood supply. Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues all use more oxygen than usual. As oxygen levels fall, cells switch on a pathway that helps form new blood vessels.

A key oxygen sensor in this ...

Rapidly growing embryos, tumors, and wounded tissues deplete physiological oxygen levels. This leads to a state of hypoxia, which triggers angiogenesis—the formation of new blood vessels. 

Under hypoxic conditions, a transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor 1, or HIF-1, accumulates and induces the expressio...