Table 3. Cell types, behaviors, and associated angiogenic signals represented in the computational model of early embryonic vascular plexus formation.
| Cell Type | Behavior | Signal |
| Endothelial Tip Cell (ECt) | migration up chemotactic gradients | VEGF165, VEGF121, CCL2 |
| secretion of proteases that break down ECM and release growth factors | PAI1, Proteases, VEGF165 | |
| expression of chemokines | CCL2 | |
| motility along the ECM | uPAR, VCAM1 | |
| Apoptosis | ||
| Endothelial Stalk Cell (ECs) | proliferation in response to growth factors | VEGF165, VEGF121 |
| inhibition of proliferation | CXCL10 | |
| secretion of proteases that break down ECM and release growth factors | PAI1, Proteases, VEGF165 | |
| secretion of soluble decoy receptors that bind and sequester growth factor | sVEGFR1 | |
| adhesion to other cell types | Tie2, VCAM1 | |
| assumption of tip cell type based on free surface area and growth factor concentration | VEGF165, VEGF121 | |
| motility along the ECM | uPAR, VCAM1 | |
| quiescence based on shared surface area with other cells | ||
| Apoptosis | ||
| Inflammatory Cell (IC) | migration up chemotactic gradients | CCL2 |
| expression of chemokines/growth factors | VEGF121, CCL2, CXCL10 | |
| interaction with the ECM to release bound growth factor | VEGF165 | |
| adhesion to other cell types | VCAM1 | |
| Apoptosis | ||
| Mural Cell (MC) | expression of chemokines/growth factors | VEGF165, VEGF121, CCL2 |
| adhesion to other cell types | ANG1, VCAM1 | |
| motility along the ECM | PAI1 | |
| promotion of endothelial quiescence based on shared surface area | ||
| Apoptosis |
Signaling molecules diffuse uniformly and isotropically. Lattice boundary conditions are periodic.