The roles of vascular endothelial growth factor in bone repair and regeneration

Bone. 2016 Oct;91:30-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2016.06.013. Epub 2016 Jun 25. Review.

This review (i) summarizes the roles of VEGF at different stages of bone repair, including the phases of inflammation, endochondral ossification, intramembranous ossification during callus formation and bone remodeling; (ii) discusses different mechanisms underlying the effects of VEGF on osteoblast function, including paracrine, autocrine and intracrine signaling during bone repair; (iii) summarizes the role of VEGF in the bone regenerative procedure, distraction osteogenesis; and (iv) reviews evidence for the effects of VEGF in the context of repair and regeneration techniques involving the use of scaffolds, skeletal stem cells and growth factors.