title: The gelatin sponge-chorioallantoic membrane assay.
abstract: Here we present a method for the quantification of angiogenesis and antiangiogenesis in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) based on the implantation of a gelatin sponge on the top of the growing CAM on day 8 of development. After implantation, the sponge is treated with a stimulator of blood vessel formation in the absence or presence of an angiogenesis inhibitor. On day 12, blood vessels that are growing into the sponge are counted at macroscopic and microscopic levels. The estimated timeline for carrying out this protocol is 10 d. The presence of a vascular network in the CAM requires a careful analysis to distinguish new capillaries from pre-existing ones. This limitation does not occur in the avascular cornea assay, which may also take advantage of different genetic backgrounds when carried out in transgenic or knockout mice. Nevertheless, the gelatin sponge-CAM assay is simple, inexpensive and suitable for large-scale screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Bari Medical School, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, Policlinico, 70124 Bari, Italy. ribatti@anatomia.uniba.it
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribatti
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nico
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vacca
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Presta
mesh_terms: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects; D049033:Chorioallantoic Membrane / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects; D005781:Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable; D008722:Methods; D008853:Microscopy; D023421:Models, Animal; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors