The purpose of this project was to investigate the angiogenic mechanism of bioactive borate glass for soft tissue repair in a 'hairless' SKH1 mouse model. Subcutaneous microvascular responses to bioactive glass microfibers (45S5, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu) and bioactive glass beads (13-93, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu) were assessed via: noninvasive imaging of skin microvasculature; histomorphometry of microvascular densities; and quantitative PCR measurements of mRNA expression of VEGF and FGF-2 cytokines. Live imaging via dorsal skin windows showed the formation at two weeks of a halo-like structure infused with microvessels surrounding implanted borate-based 13-93B3 and 13-93B3Cu glass beads, a response not observed with silicate-based 13-93 glass beads. Quantitative histomorphometry of tissues implanted with plugs of 45S5, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu glass microfibers revealed microvascular densities that were 1.6-, 2.3-, and 2.7-times higher, respectively, than the sham control values whereas 13-93, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu glass beads caused the microvascular density to increase 1.3-, 1.6-, and 2.5-fold, respectively, relative to sham controls. Quantitative PCR measurements indicate a marginally significant increased expression of VEGF mRNA in tissues with 13-93B3Cu glass beads, an outcome that supported the hypothesis that copper-doped borate glass could promote VEGF expression followed by angiogenesis for enhanced wound healing.