Dynamic mechanisms of blood vessel growth.

The formation of a polygonal configuration of proto-blood-vessels from initially dispersed cells is the first step in the development of the circulatory system in vertebrates. This initial vascular network later expands to form new blood vessels, primarily via a sprouting mechanism. We review a range of recent results obtained with a Monte Carlo model of chemotactically migrating cells which can explain both de novo blood vessel growth and aspects of blood vessel sprouting. We propose that the initial network forms via a percolation-like instability depending on cell shape, or through an alternative contact-inhibition of motility mechanism which also reproduces aspects of sprouting blood vessel growth.