Chorioallantoic membrane capillary bed: a useful target for studying angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis in vivo.
The chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is an extraembryonic membrane that is commonly used in vivo to study both angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis. This review 1) summarizes the current knowledge about the structure of the CAM's capillary bed; 2) discusses the controversy about the existence of a single blood sinus or a capillary plexus underlying the chorionic epithelium; 3) describes a new model of the CAM vascular growth, namely the intussusceptive mode; 4) reports findings regarding the role played by endogenous fibroblast growth factor-2 in CAM vascularization; and 5) addresses the use and limitations of the CAM as a model for studying angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis.
Ribatti
D
D
Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Bari Medical School, Piazza Giulio Cesare, Bari, Italy. ribatti@anatomia.uniba.it
Nico
B
B
Vacca
A
A
Roncali
L
L
Burri
P H
PH
Djonov
V
V
D000482:Allantois / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002823:Chorion / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2