Researchers at the University of North Carolina have identified a protein which seems to play a significant role in monitoring new blood vessel growth, thereby preventing a number of problems.

Upon injury, the body grows new blood vessels to repair damaged tissue. However, too much growth may sometimes cause problems like when new blood vessels in the eyes leak and are not treated, they may cause diabetic retinopathy and blindness.

The researchers found in the study that the CIB1 protein appears to control new blood vessel growth.

"In the future, this knowledge may help our ability to control blood vessel growth in disease situations such as wound healing, retinal diseases and diabetes," said Dr. Leslie Parise, senior study author and professor in the UNC School of Medicine.

During the study, the researchers noticed that these cells jump-start new blood vessel growth via a process called angiogenesis, during which biological signals prompt endothelial cells to release enzymes and other chemicals that allow them to move away from existing blood vessels and form new ones.

The researchers saw that while angiogenesis plays a critical role in embryo growth, CIB1 appears to only affect blood vessel growth after injury. In the study, Parise noted that mice born without copies of CIB1 gene would survive and remain reasonably healthy unless injured.

"CIB1 appears to be an attractive drug target to control blood vessel growth since it does not play an essential role during fetal development but instead plays an important role in pathological forms of blood vessel growth," said Dr. Mohamed Zayed.

The experiments showed that CIB1 was critical for angiogenesis in the retina as well as in hind legs. In both cases, the new blood vessel growth was prompted by ischemia (restricted blood flow).

The researchers pointed out that clinicians treating retinal disease needed to restrict blood vessel growth in the eyes, while patients with restricted blood flow in their limbs needed to grow blood vessels.

"We think it’s involved in the chemical pathways that control blood vessel growth, such as signal transduction events," Parise concluded.