title: Current methods for assaying angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Angiogenesis, the development of new blood vessels from an existing vasculature, is essential in normal developmental processes and in numerous pathologies, including diabetic retinopathy, psoriasis and tumour growth and metastases. One of the problems faced by angiogenesis researchers has been the difficulty of finding suitable methods for assessing the effects of regulators of the angiogenic response. The ideal assay would be reliable, technically straightforward, easily quantifiable and, most importantly, physiologically relevant. Here, we review the advantages and limitations of the principal assays in use, including those for the proliferation, migration and differentiation of endothelial cells in vitro, vessel outgrowth from organ cultures and in vivo assays such as sponge implantation, corneal, chamber, zebrafish, chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and tumour angiogenesis models.
authors.affiliation: Tumour Targeting Group University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Carolyn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Staton
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stribbling
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tazzyman
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Nicola J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents