Canalization

Canalization (in pathology) (from Latin canalis - channel), a term used to denote the initial processes of development, namely the formation of lumens of blood vessels in a previously avascular environment. Most often, reference is made to the canalization of thrombi, which constitutes one of the most important stages of their organization. The phenomenon of canalization in the first moment consists in the formation of slits, for example, in the compact mass of a thrombus, in the cellular complex of developing embryonic mesenchyme, or in granulation tissue; later these slits not only become wider but also acquire an endothelial lining and finally appropriate contents (blood, as the network of channels connects with pre-existing vessels); from this moment on, it is more correct to speak of vascularization (see); see also Blood vessels, development.