Molecular Mechanisms of Angiostatin Action: New Advances

Angiostatin,a 38 ku derivate of plasminogen,has been identified and characterized to be a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and tumor metastasis.Angiogenesis referred to sprouting and branching of new vessels from the pre-existing ones.Although it is rare in adult,angiogenesis is a key event in a broad range of pathological events,such as wound healing,inflammation,tumor growth and metastasis.The purpose of this review is to describe the highlights of research on the mechanism of Angiostatin action and its application as an anti-angiogenic factor for curing some diseases such as tumor.