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Molecular heterogeneity of tumor endothelium

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Abstract

Tumors depend on a vascular supply for their growth. Tumor blood vessels, which are derived from normal tissue vasculature, display a markedly abnormal phenotype. Tumor endothelial properties are highly varied in space and time. An important goal is to delineate the range of phenotypes in tumor endothelium and to identify tumor endothelial-specific molecular signatures. This information should lead to a more complete understanding of the mechanisms of tumor growth, the discovery of new therapeutic targets, and the development of biomarkers for diagnosis and surveillance. The goals of this review are to outline recent advances in dissecting tumor endothelial-cell-specific gene expression, to address mechanisms of phenotypic heterogeneity in tumor vascular beds, and to discuss the therapeutic implications of these findings.

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks Steven Moskowitz for his artwork and Marianne Grant for her help with formatting. This work was supported by NIH grant HL076540.

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Correspondence to William C. Aird.

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Aird, W.C. Molecular heterogeneity of tumor endothelium. Cell Tissue Res 335, 271–281 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-008-0672-y

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