Central to the processes encompassing new vessel formation in angiogenesis are various angiogenic factors, signalling molecules that control different stages of blood vessel formation. Angiogenic factors can be categorized into either pro-angiogenic or anti-angiogenic factors. Pro-angiogenic factors stimulate and promote the growth of new blood vessels, while anti-angiogenic factors inhibit or suppress angiogenesis, maintaining vascular homeostasis. The combined activities of both types of factors ensure blood vessel formation is appropriately controlled. One of the most critical family of pro-angiogenic factors is the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) family. VEGF stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and migration, promoting vessel sprouting and new capillary formation. It also acts to enhance the permeability of blood vessel walls, aiding the transport of nutrients and oxygen to surrounding tissues. VEGF exerts its effects by binding to specific receptors on the surface of endothelial cells. The main receptors for VEGF are VEGFR-1 (Flt-1) and VEGFR-2 (KDR/Flk-1). VEGFR-2 is particularly important for mediating the permeability-enhancing effects of VEGF. VEGF signalling can lead to the disassembly of both adherens junctions and tight junctions between endothelial cells. Adherens junctions are protein complexes that connect neighbouring cells, while tight junctions regulate the passage of molecules between cells. Disruption of these junctions increases the gaps or pores between endothelial cells, allowing molecules and fluid to pass through. Another important pro-angiogenic factor is Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), which supports endothelial cell growth, vessel remodelling, and is involved in the recruitment of pericytes and smooth muscle cells which stabilizes newly formed blood vessels. Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) also plays a role in vessel stabilization by attracting pericytes and smooth muscle cells to the endothelial cells, promoting vessel maturation. Angiopoietins, particularly Angiopoietin-1 and -2, interact with the Tie-2 receptor on endothelial cells, influencing vessel stability and remodelling. Finally, transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) is another multifunctional growth factor that impacts angiogenesis by regulating the production of ECM components and influencing vessel wall integrity. Conversely, anti-angiogenic factors work to counterbalance angiogenesis, preventing uncontrolled vessel growth. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and Endostatin are endogenous inhibitors that inhibit endothelial cell proliferation and migration. TSP-1 exerts its anti-angiogenic effects through multiple mechanisms, largely involving its interactions with cell surface receptors and modulation of signalling pathways. For example, TSP-1 interacts with CD36 to trigger downstream signalling events that lead to inhibition of angiogenesis. It can suppress endothelial cell migration and proliferation, involving modulation of signalling pathways such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Additionally, certain chemokines, such as interferon-alpha (IFN-α) and interferon-beta (IFN-β), have anti-angiogenic properties. For example, IFN-α can downregulate the expression of various pro-angiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). These factors are crucial for initiating and promoting angiogenesis by stimulating endothelial cell proliferation and migration. Finally, anti-angiogenic therapies aim to inhibit excessive blood vessel growth in diseases like cancer, Drugs such as Bevacizumab target VEGF, reducing its pro-angiogenic effects and impairing tumour blood supply, hindering tumour growth. We provide a comprehensive product catalogue of research tools for investigating angiogenic factors, including CD31 antibodies, IL8 antibodies, S100A4 antibodies, IL8 ELISA Kits, and IGFBP3 ELISA Kits. Explore our full angiogenic factors product range below and discover more, for less.