Carbohydrate-recognition and angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is required for the continual growth of the tumor and provides a gateway for cells to escape the confines of the primary tumor. Angiogeni c stimulus triggers a cascade of functional responses leading to local base ment membrane dissolution, endothelial cell migration, proliferation and mi crovessel morphogenesis. In this commentary, we review the significance of carbohydrate-binding proteins involved in angiogenesis. The importance of c arbohydrate-recognition processes to angiogenesis stems from the observatio n that angiogenic factors like fibroblast growth factor family and vascular endothelial growth factors bind initially to the extracellular matrix prot eoglycans before binding to their cognate receptors, and some of the adhesi on molecules bind to glycoconjugates present on the surface of the endothel ial cells. The possible significance of these interactions will be discusse d.