Increased airway vascularity and angiogenesis may contribute to airway inflammation in asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by the following structural changes:

- subepithelial fibrosis
- smooth muscle cells hypertrophy/hyperplasia
- epithelial cell metaplasia
- angiogenesis

These structural changes are thought to correlate with asthma severity and to account for the development of progressive lung function deterioration.


Chronic Asthma, animation video by Focus Medica Pte. Ltd.

References:
Angiogenesis in asthma. Ribatti D, Puxeddu I, Crivellato E, Nico B, Vacca A, Levi-Schaffer F. Clin Exp Allergy. 2009 Dec;39(12):1815-21.