Discuss the role that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its family of receptors play in angiogenesis.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) is an endothelial cell-specific receptor that has inherent tyrosine kinase activity. The binding of the Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) ligand to its receptor plays an important role in angiogenesis, a process by which new capillaries are formed. Enhanced angiogenesis is associated with a number of diseases including cancer. Your goal is to develop a homogeneous in vitro TR-FRET kinase assay for VEGFR-2 (purified protein) in an attempt to identify small molecules that inhibit kinase activity and in turn modulate angiogenesis.   Based on this background, please answer the following questions How would you determine robustness of the assay and validate the assay?

Can you please pick the right answer in each parentheses? Atherosclerosis is a disease of the blood vessel wall, and begins with accumulation of    ["white blood cells, LDL and VLDL beneath the endothelium", "platelets and clotting factors"], a phase known as "fatty streak".   Progression involves the presence of inflammatory cells, as well as the          ["proliferation", "apoptosis"]  of     ["endothelial cells", "smooth muscle cells"] .

Rho activation is preceded by association of a Rho regulator to regions of the plasma membrane just “above” where the contractile ring will form. Which regulator (Rho GAP or Rho GEF) would you predict would be localized to this region of the cell? Briefly explain your reasoning.