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. 2019 Jul 1;374(1779):20180214. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0214

Figure 1.

Figure 1.

Differential tissue stiffness in cancer impacts angiogenesis. Tissue stiffness varies dramatically from healthy (0.4 kPa) to tumoral (1.2 kPa) tissue, with an increase in stromal stiffness heterogeneity in the invasive region. ECM rigidity induces blood vessel sprouting via upregulation of GATA2 and increased VEGFR2/VEGF-A signalling in blood endothelial cells (BECs). On the contrary, ECM rigidity might suppress lymphangiogenesis in a similar manner, since lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) present lower levels of GATA2 and decreased VEGFR3/VEGF-C response in stiffer substrates. This may lead to angiogenic hot spots across the tumour tissue.