Disclosed are methods of increasing vascularization in a tissue by administering a neublastin polypeptide to a mammal exhibiting impaired or inadequate blood flow in the tissue. The methods can be used to in the treatment or prevention of a disorder characterized by impaired or inadequate blood flow or to increase vascularization in an organ that has been transplanted into a subject.本發明揭示藉由將神經胚素(neublastin)多肽投與組織中顯示血流減少或不足之哺乳動物來增進該組織中血管形成之方法。該等方法可用以治療或預防特徵為血流減少或不足之病症,或用以增進已移植至個體之器官中之血管形成。