VEGFA and brain ischemia: The VEGF/VEGFR system is activated after cerebral ischemia and hypoxia, and the expression of extracellular matrix components, such as basement membrane glycan C-terminal functional region V (DV) and fibronectin (Fn), increases, which bind to their corresponding receptor integrins and release various factors, such as VEGF (Huang and Li, 2014); this promotes angiogenesis and neuroprotection through the Ras–Raf–MEK–ERK signaling pathway and activates the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.