Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are a prevalent class of vascular anomalies characterized by thin-walled clusters of malformed blood vessels in the brain. Heritable forms are caused by mutations in CCM1, CCM2 and CCM3, but despite the importance of these factors in vascular biology, an understanding of their molecular and cellular functions remains elusive. Here we describe the characte...

A case report and five additional cases from the literature of angiographically demonstrated abnormal vascularization of chromophobe adenomas are presented. The appearance is that of a fine network of vessels appearing in the arterial phase and a homogeneous blush beginning in the capillary phase and lasting throughout the venous phase. The network is derived from dilated branches of the extrad...

Angiomyofibroblastoma is a benign well-circumscribed tumor characterized by alternating hypocellular and hypercellular areas with abundant thin-walled blood vessels. The tumor cells are bland and spindle-shaped or epitheloid and tend to concentrate around the vessels or cluster in small nests. Herein, we report a case of angiomyofibroblastoma of the left labia major in a 50-year-old female. The...

Biological and engineering studies of Hess-Murray's law are focused on assemblies of tubes with impermeable walls. Blood vessels and airways have permeable walls to allow the exchange of fluid and other dissolved substances with tissues. Should Hess-Murray's law hold for bifurcating systems in which the walls of the vessels are permeable to fluid? This paper investigates the fluid flow in a por...

BACKGROUND The levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) is a contraceptive device that is used for treatment of menorrhagia. The system induces inter-menstrual bleeding within the first few months after insertion. We hypothesized that this bleeding might be associated with a change in vascular development. METHODS A randomized, controlled study was undertaken on 48 women. RESULTS Hyster...

Acquired progressive lymphangioma is a rare vascular tumor with a locally aggressive behavior. Histologically it is characterized by a proliferation of numerous, dilated, thin-walled vessels lined by flat endothelial cells with no nuclear atypia. The vessels appear to dissect between the collagen fibers. It usually presents as an asymptomatic, slow-growing, reddish-brown plaque. We present the ...

Lymphangiomas are benign hamartomatous lesions of lymphatic vessels. Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) is a transcription factor that is activated in some human neoplasias. WT1 protein expression is observed in endothelial cells during angiogenesis and is a useful marker to distinguish between vascular proliferations and vascular malformations. The purpose of the present study is to report a case series of o...

Hobnail hemangioma is a small, solitary, benign vascular tumor that shows a biphasic histological pattern of dilated vascular spaces in the superficial dermis and narrow vascular structures in the deeper dermis. In the superficial dermis, dilated, irregular, thin-walled vascular spaces are lined by plump endothelial cells with large nuclei which protrude into the lumina like hobnails. A 43-year...

AIMS To investigate the role of CD34 positive stromal cells in the morphogenesis and tumour growth regulation of angiomyomas (vascular leiomyomas). METHODS Histochemical analysis using monoclonal antibodies to CD34 and CD31 was performed in 10 angiomyomas and their adjacent soft tissue. RESULTS CD34 positive stromal cells were not seen within the tumour tissue; the thick walled vessels with...