Basic concepts of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis Angiogenesis is a term coined by John Hunter in 1787 to describe the process of growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. During angiogenesis, the vascular plexus progressively expands by means of vessel sprouting and remodels into a highly organized vascular network of larger vessels ramifying into smaller ones (10). The lymphatic system develops in parallel but secondarily to the blood vascular system through a process known as lymphangiogenesis (37). Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are critical for neoplastic and several inflammatory disorders. Increasing evidence indicates that angiogenesis is an important feature of allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis (46).
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