The concentrations of AFP were evaluated in the sera from groups of healthy dogs and of dogs with multicentric lymphoma, before and while receiving chemotherapy. The concentration of AFP was highest in the affected dogs, especially during the fifth stage of lymphoma. Chemotherapy caused a decrease in AFP serum concentration, during both the induction and the maintenance phases of treatment, when compared to the same animals before therapy. Determination of the concentration of AFP in the serum may be an additional indicator in the evaluation of the stage of lymphoma, and of value in assessing the extent of neoplastic infiltration of the liver.

Angiogenesis is the physiological process of capillary growth. It is strictly regulated by the balanced activity of agents that promote the formation of capillaries (pro-angiogenic factors) on the one hand and inhibit their growth on the other hand (anti-angiogenic factors). Capillary rarefaction and insufficient angiogenesis are some of the main causes that limit blood flow during aging, whereas physical training is a potent non-pharmacological method to intensify capillary growth in the musculoskeletal system. The main purpose of this study is to present the current state of knowledge concerning the key signalling molecules implicated in the regulation of skeletal muscle and bone angiogenesis during aging and physical training.