Arteriogenesis - A New Concept for Adaptive Vessel Growth After Vascular Occlusions

After birth, blood vessel growth is limited to two major processes. The growth of new capillaries by sprouting or intussusception after the emergence of ischemia is called angiogenesis. In contrast, arteriogenesis describes the formation of collateral arteries from a pre-existing arteriolar network after the occlusion of a major artery. It is the only physiologically effective form of vascular growth in the adult organism to compensate for blood flow deficits after arterial occlusions. Physical forces, particularly fluid shear stress, induced by the increased blood velocity due to low distal pressure, and monocytes are triggers of arteriogenesis.