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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Oct 1.
Published in final edited form as: Angiogenesis. 2015 Jul 22;18(4):433–448. doi: 10.1007/s10456-015-9477-2

Fig. 1. RA angiogenesis is driven by pro-inflammatory cytokines released from the cells in the synovial tissue-lining layer.

Fig. 1

In response to inflammatory stimuli, RA synovial tissue macrophages and fibroblasts produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that can modulate expression of adhesion molecules, MMPs, chemokines and growth factors which are all important in different stages of angiogenesis. There are several steps involved in angiogenesis; which consist of endothelial cells migration, endothelial cell proliferation into vascular tubules, separation of the newly formed blood vessels that mature and become interconnected to the circulatory system.