Animal Models of Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis

A good explanation of what would need to occur in the brain for our purposes.
http://www.intechopen.com/source/pdfs/26387/InTech-Animal_models_of_angiogenesis_and_lymphangiogenesis.pdf
1. Introduction
Blood and lymphatic vessels are present in all tissues, and play important roles for their function, homeostasis and maintenance. Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, is therefore highly important during development, but is largely not observed in the adult, except for during the female reproduction cycle and during wound healing. In pathological situations, however, angiogenesis may be turned on, and in this case contribute to the onset and progression of most severe human pathologies characterized by high mortality, including cancer, diabetes, obesity and retinopathies (Carmeliet, 2003) or is insufficiently activated such as in the case of myocardial infarction and stroke (Y Cao et al, 2005). Thus, angiogenesis is one of the largest and fastest evolving areas of research today. Angiogenesis is a highly complicated process, involving many different cell types, and it is therefore highly recommended that researchers use in vivo animal models for their studies.
Accordingly, today there are many in vivo models available.
The aim of this chapter is to give insights into the most commonly used in vivo angiogenesis models in both mice and zebrafish. We will provide detailed descriptions and discussions of the adipose tissue-, tumor-, ischemic hind limb- wound healing- and corneal micropocket angiogenesis models in mice and developmental-, tumor-, hypoxia-induced retinal- and regenerating tail fin angiogenesis models in zebrafish. We will provide a base for comparison between the different assays to quickly identify which model is best suited for a particular research focus.
1.1 Basic mechanisms of angiogenesis
Angiogenesis is a multistep process which is tightly regulated by an intimate balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors. Angiogenesis is stimulated by angiogenic factors the most commonly studied being members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), transforming growth factor (TGF) or platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) families in the tissue.