HIJAMAH AND THE REGENERATION OF NEW BLOOD VESSELS -ANGIOGENESIS

Angiogenesis literally means creation of new blood vessels. The word “angio” means blood vessels while “genesis” means creation.

Angiogenesis is an important process that occurs both during health and disease. Blood is important in the body as it carries oxygen and nutrients to all the parts of the body via blood vessels like arteries and brings back the toxins and wastes from these peripheral organs for purification via veins.

When a new tissue is formed, it is vital that it has blood supply for its growth and sustenance. For this formation of blood vessels or angiogenesis is important.

Angiogenesis in normal physiology

Formation of new tissues involves formation of new blood vessels. Some of the normal situations where angiogenesis is important and necessary include those for repair of wounds and the formation of the placenta during pregnancy.

The normal body has controls over the process of angiogenesis. These are complex and intricate pathways. There are several “on” and “off” switches that regulate the process. The “on” switches are some chemicals that stimulate blood vessel formation while “off” switches are chemicals that inhibit blood vessel-formation.

The on switches are termed angiogenic growth factors and when formation of new blood vessels are needed, greater amounts of these factors are created than angiogenesis inhibitors or off switches.In many disease states, angiogenesis is a key target for pharmaceutical intervention. In a number of pathological states, including tumour development and progression, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, blood vessel formation is excessive, and the aim of pharmaceutical intervention is to inhibit the process. Conversely, in wound healing and coronary artery disease, the aim is to stimulate new vessel formation. Therefore, angiogenesis is a common factor in a wide range of diseases affecting many millions of people worldwide, and much research is focused on stimulating or inhibiting the process of angiogenesis.

Hijamah and Angiogenesis Process.

How Do New Blood Vessels Grow?

1) The process of angiogenesis in a healthy adult occurs as an orderly series of events:

Blood vessels provide nutrients and oxygen throughout the body and are comprised of an inner lining of closely assembled endothelial cells ensheathed by pericytes, (the basement membrane) embedded in the stromal compartment (various stromal cells and extracellular matrix).

2) In healthy adults, a balance of growth factor signaling maintains endothelial cells in a quiescent, or resting state.

To monitor and supply sufficient amounts of oxygen to surrounding tissues, blood vessels have oxygen and hypoxia-induced sensors, or receptors, which allow vessel remodeling to adjust the blood flow accordingly.

3) Hypoxia or other endogenous signals activate cells and induce the release signaling factors (such as VEGF, Ang-2, FGF and chemokines) to promote the growth of new blood capillaries from pre-existing vessels – a process called angiogenesis.

4) Pericytes detach from the vessel (Ang-2 signaling), and endothelial cells are activated and lose their close contact as the vessel dilates (VE-cadherin signaling).

5) In sprout formation, a tip cell is selected (selection influenced by Neuropilin, VEGF/VEGFR and NOTCH / DLL4 and JAGGED1 signaling) which releases matrix metalloproteases (MT1-MMP) to degrade the basement membrane and remodel the extracellular matrix.

6) Tip cells are polarized and extend numerous filopodia to guide sprout migration (via semaphorins, ephrins, and integrins guidance signals) toward angiogenic stimuli (VEGF gradient). Tip cells are primarily migratory and do not proliferate.

7) Stalk cells follow the tip cell and proliferate, extending the sprout. Proliferating stalk cells establish junctions with neighboring endothelial cells and release molecules such as EGFL7 (an endothelial cell chemoattractant expressed by proliferating endothelial cells) that bind to extracellular membrane components and regulates vascular lumen formation.

8) Fusion of neighboring branches occurs when 2 tip cells encounter each other, establish EC-EC junctions (VE-cadherin, Ang-1) and form a continuous lumen. Extracellular matrix is deposited to establish a new basement membrane (TIMPs), endothelial cell proliferation ceases, and pericytes are recruited to stabilize the new vessel (PDGFR/PDGF-B, Ang-1)

9) Once blood flow is established, the perfusion of oxygen and nutrient reduces angiogenic stimuli (VEGF expression) and inactivates endothelial cell oxygen sensors, re-establishing the quiescent state of the blood vessel.

Angiogenesis-Hijamah. — restoring the body’s natural control of angiogenesis — is a wide-ranging approach to fighting disease. By using new medical treatments that either inhibit or stimulate angiogenesis, doctors are prolonging the lives of cancer patients, preventing limb amputations, reversing vision loss, and improving general health.

SUBHAANALLAH!!