The progression of breast cancer depends on the establishment of a neovasculature, by a process called angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is an invasive cellular event that requires the co‐ordination of numerous molecules including growth factors and their receptors, extracellular proteins, adhesion molecules, and proteolytic enzymes. TGFβ has emerged to be a major modulator of angiogenesis by regulating endothelial cell proliferation, migration, extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism, and the expression of adhesion molecules. It is a potent growth inhibitor of normal mammary epithelial cells and a number of breast cancer cell lines. It seems that TGFβ exerts pleiotropic effects in the oncogenesis of breast cancers in a contextual manner, i.e., it suppresses tumourigenesis at an early stage by direct inhibition of angiogenesis and tumour cell growth. However, over‐production of TGFβ by an advanced tumour may accelerate disease progression through indirect stimulation of angiogenesis and immune suppression. The cell membrane antigen CD105 (endoglin) binds TGFβ1 and TGFβ3 and is preferentially expressed in angiogenic vascular endothelial cells. The reduction of CD105 levels in HUVEC leads to in vitro angiogenesis inhibition and massive cell mortality in the presence of TGFβ1. CD105 null mice die in utero with impaired vasculature, indicating the pivotal role of CD105 in vascular development. The administration of an immunotoxin‐conjugate, mab to CD105, induces long‐term and complete regression of breast cancer growth in SCID mice. Therefore, CD105 is a promising vascular target for antiangiogenic therapy. Microsc. Res. Tech. 52:437–449, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.