Regulation of Angiogenesis: The Role of Protein Kinase, Nitric Oxide, Thrombin and Basement Membrane Synthesis

Angiogenesis plays a key role in the pathology of many disease states (Folkman and Shing, 1992). Practically every medical specialty deals with disease states where a derangement of angiogenesis is evident. In addition, angiogenesis is a prominent event in many physiological processes such as the establishment of placenta, the changes in the mammary gland during lactation and in the endometrium during ovulation (Auerbach et al., 1991). Angiogenesis is also important in wound healing and repair processes (Knighton et al., 1990).