title: Genetic heterogeneity of skin microvasculature.
abstract: Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from existing vasculature, is a complex process that is essential for normal embryonic development. Current models for experimental evaluation of angiogenesis often use tissue from large vessels like the aorta and umbilical vein, which are phenotypically distinct from microvasculature. We demonstrate that the utilization of skin to measure microvascular angiogenesis in embryonic and adult tissues is an efficient way to quantify microvasculature angiogenesis. We validate this approach and demonstrate its added value by showing significant differences in angiogenesis in monogenic and polygenic mouse models. We discovered that the pattern of angiogenic response among inbred mouse strains in this ex vivo assay differs from the strain distributions of previous in vivo angiogenesis assays. The difference between the ex vivo and in vivo assays may be related to systemic factors present in whole animals. Expression analysis of cultured skin biopsies from strains of mice with opposing angiogenic response was performed to identify pathways that contribute to differential angiogenic response. Increased expression of negative regulators of angiogenesis in C57Bl/6J mice was associated with lower growth rates.
authors.affiliation: Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, USA.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Herron
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001706:Biopsy; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003470:Culture Media; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D055806:Microvessels / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D044967:Serum / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; C059485:matrigel; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D003094:Collagen