However, they discovered that an inhibitor of ?-secretase, a type of enzyme in the body, prevented the thickening of the
blood vessel walls, suggesting it could be helpful in treating diabetes.
The teams say the new findings suggest that doctors can diagnose Alzheimer's early on and that drugs could be developed that help repair
blood vessels and slow down - or prevent - the disease.
The proper function of
blood vessels is essential to life:
blood vessels are responsible for transporting oxygen-rich red blood cells, nutrients, and immune cells throughout the body, to name just a few functions.
In an animal model of the aggressive brain tumor glioblastoma, they saw malignant pericytes from human tumors wrap around endothelial cells, as they would to form
blood vessels, but they also formed tumors.
The Gerecht team focused on vascular smooth muscle cells, which are found within the walls of
blood vessels. Two types have been identified: synthetic smooth muscle cells, which migrate through the surrounding tissue, continue to divide and help support the newly formed
blood vessels; and contractile smooth muscles cells, which remain in place, stabilize the growth of new
blood vessels and help them maintain proper blood pressure.
SCIENTISTS in Canada believe they have found a new way of regenerating
blood vessels which could help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
The formation of new
blood vessels is known as angiogenesis and is one of the main driving forces behind cancer.
If blood flow is restricted because of a buildup of plaque or clots in
blood vessels, or if
blood vessels become too stiff to enable the smooth flow of blood, less oxygen gets to the brain and fewer waste products leave the brain, he notes.
"At the same time, cocaine is decreasing the amount of blood flowing to the heart muscle, or blocking blood flow completely." This is because the drug constricts
blood vessels.
Among other things, he is researching new methods to more accurately promote the growth of
blood vessels (angiogenesis) to oxygen-starved heart muscle and conversely inhibit growth of
blood vessels (antiangiogenesis) to combat cancers.