Angiogenesis in the female reproductive organs: pathological implications

Lawrence P Reynolds, Anna T Grazul-Bilska, Anna T. Grazul‐Bilska, Dale A Redmer
International journal of experimental pathology · 2002 · vol. 83(4) , pp. 151–164 · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2613.2002.00277.x · PMID:12485460 · W1588517171
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

Angiogenesis driven by VEGFs and FGFs is crucial for female reproductive organ function, and its dysregulation contributes to various pathologies including bleeding, hyperplasia, cancer, and infertility.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-10 ⓘ

This review paper examines how angiogenesis—driven largely by vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs)—supports the normal, periodic rapid growth and high vascularity of female reproductive organs (ovary, uterus, and placenta), and how disruptions in this vascular-growth process contribute to multiple pathologies. It synthesizes evidence linking altered VEGF/FGF expression and angiogenic disturbances to conditions including endometriosis, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma, failed implantation, subnormal fetal growth, uterine leiomyomas, and adenomyosis, among others, while noting that a limitation of a review is reliance on existing literature rather than new data. The paper highlights that ongoing or excessive angiogenesis is associated with many serious diseases, whereas the reproductive organs are unusual in exhibiting regular intervals of physiologic angiogenesis. Relevance to endometriosis: the paper explicitly lists endometriosis among reproductive pathologies associated with disturbances of angiogenesis and altered VEGF/FGF expression, and it discusses this within its broader focus on angiogenesis across female reproductive disorders, including adenomyosis.

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Abstract

The female reproductive organs (ovary, uterus, and placenta) are some of the few adult tissues that exhibit regular intervals of rapid growth. They also are highly vascular and have high rates of blood flow. Angiogenesis, or vascular growth, is therefore an important component of the growth and function of these tissues. As with many other tissues, vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) appear to be major angiogenic factors in the female reproductive organs. A variety of pathologies of the female reproductive organs are associated with disturbances of the angiogenic process, including dysfunctional uterine bleeding, endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma, endometriosis, failed implantation and subnormal foetal growth, myometrial fibroids (uterine leiomyomas) and adenomyosis, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, ovarian carcinoma, and polycystic ovary syndrome. These pathologies are also associated with altered expression of VEGFs and/or FGFs. In the near future, angiogenic or antiangiogenic compounds may prove to be effective therapeutic agents for treating these pathologies. In addition, monitoring of angiogenesis or angiogenic factor expression may provide a means of assessing the efficacy of these therapies.

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Condition tags

endometriosisadenomyosis

MeSH descriptors

Genital Diseases, Female Genitalia, Female Neovascularization, Pathologic Neovascularization, Physiologic Placenta Endothelial Growth Factors Endothelial Growth Factors Female Genital Diseases, Female Genitalia, Female Humans Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins Lymphokines Lymphokines Neovascularization, Pathologic Neovascularization, Physiologic Placenta Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

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