Binding to the Extracellular Matrix and Proteolytic Processing: Two Key Mechanisms Regulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Action

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, VEGF-A) is a major regulator of physiological and pathological angiogenesis. One feature of VEGF is the existence of multiple isoforms arising from alternative exon splicing. Our initial biochemical and biological studies indicated that such isoforms are uniquely suited to generate angiogenic gradients by virtue of their differential ability to interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM). Although...