VEGFA and ischemic stroke: VEGF is known to play a key role in initiating physiological and pathological angiogenesis through VEGF/VEGF receptors system and mediating the development and growth of collateral vessels after ischemic stroke.[31] Marti et al. [32] reported that VEGF was strongly up-regulated, accompanied with an increase in the number of newly formed vessels in the ischemic border, within 6 to 24 hours after MCAO, while VEGF receptors were up-regulated at 48 hours and later in the ischemic core.