title: The chorioallantoic membrane assay is a promising ex vivo model system for the study of vascular anomalies.
abstract: The present feasibility study evaluated the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay established in cancer and angiogenesis research as a tool for the study of vascular anomalies (VAs) in the head and neck area, since the lack of appropriate model systems poses a major obstacle in VA research.
  
  
  METHODS
  VA tissues from three patients, two with an arteriovenous and one with a lymphatic malformation, were analyzed and evaluated in the CAM assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The arteriovenous malformations induced a potent angiogenic reaction, resulting in new vessel growth and reperfusion by chicken embryo blood, which was comparable in extent with the positive vascular endothelial growth factor control. An angiogenic reaction, although less pronounced, was also observed in the single-tested lymphatic malformation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our observations indicate the CAM assay to be a suitable model system for the study of VAs, as well as to show how treatment with pro- and antiangiogenic drugs affects VA growth patterns. The CAM assay has the potential to become a valuable tool for VA studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Campus Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, D-35033 Marburg, Germany. mandic@med.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Jarmila
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jedelská
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Strehlow
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bakowsky
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aigner
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Höbel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bette
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roessler
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teymoortash
authors.forename: Jochen A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Behfar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eivazi
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mandic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D049033:Chorioallantoic Membrane / Q000098:blood supply*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: CAM; Vascular anomaly; arteriovenous; chorioallantoic membrane assay; head and neck; lymphatic; malformation