title: Patterning of embryonic blood vessels.
abstract: Morphometric methods were developed to characterize the geometry of vascular patterns in avian and murine embryos. By using these methods, we found that networks of blood vessels formed during vasculogenesis share similar geometric properties (i.e., mean blood vessel diameters and avascular space diameters) regardless of developmental stage, location, or species in which they form. We also found that endothelial cell density within a unit area of an embryonic vasculature could be used to accurately distinguish between a small diameter, capillary-like vascular network (low endothelial cell density) and a large diameter, presinusoidal network (high endothelial cell density). Furthermore, we show that endothelial cell size remains constant in small and large diameter vessels, indicating that increased endothelial cell size is not the basis for diversity in vessel diameter. These observations serve as a foundation for future studies seeking to evaluate the effects of agents or genetic mutations on aspects of vasculogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: LaRue
authors.forename: Vladimir A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Mironov
authors.forename: W Scott
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Argraves
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Czirók
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Drake
mesh_terms: D000482:Allantois / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002452:Cell Count; D048429:Cell Size; D003370:Coturnix / Q000196:embryology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D019170:Somites; D013997:Time Factors