VEGF-A induces angiogenesis by perturbing the cathepsin-cysteine protease inhibitor balance in venules, causing basement membrane degradation and mother vessel formation.
Chang SH, Kanasaki K, Gocheva V, Blum G, Harper J, Moses MA, Shih SC, Nagy JA, Joyce J, Bogyo M, Kalluri R, Dvorak HF. VEGF-A induces angiogenesis by perturbing the cathepsin-cysteine protease inhibitor balance in venules, causing basement membrane degradation and mother vessel formation. Cancer Res. 2009 May 15; 69(10):4537-44.