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This template was adapted from the original submission. Edits were made to enhance scientific accuracy, optimal usability and/or to meet industry-leading design standards for science communication. Angiogenesis occurs in regions of low O2, which induces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production in tissues. VEGF binds to VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs), triggering competition between neighboring cells as they differentiate. Briefly, VEGFR2 signaling promotes tip cell differentiation, while simultaneously inhibiting tip cell formation in adjacent cells via notch signaling. Notch induces the downregulation of VEGFR2 and induces expression of sVEGFR1, which sequesters VEGF and prevents over-vascularization. Thus, these adjacent cells instead become stalk cells and form the body of the sprouting vessel.