Traditional animal models to quantify the degree of blood vessel formation are being replaced by cell culture assays
that are easier to set up, statistically reliable and can be automated in a drug screening laboratory. These assays rely on the endothelial cells’ ability to form distinct blood-vessel-like tubules in an extracellular matrix where they can subsequently be visualized by fluorescence microscopy. - [Read An Image-Based Assay of Endothelial Cell Tube Formation as a Model of Angiogenesis]
Protocol describes an assay that relies on the endothelial cells’ ability to form distinct blood-vessel-like tubules in an extracellular matrix where they can subsequently be visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Although quantification of the tubules can be performed by manual tracing, this method precludes the use of the assay in unbiased high-throughput applications. - [Read Image Based Assay of Endothelial Cell Tube Formation Protocol]
Mononuclear phagocyte progenitor cells derived from femoral and tibial bone marrow are propagated in the presence of M-CSF. This macrophage growth factor is secreted by L929 cells and is used in the form of L929 cell conditioned medium. The progenitor cells proliferate and differentiate through monoblast, promonocyte and monocyte stages before maturing to macrophages. At this time the cells become firmly adherent to the culture vessel. - [Read Isolation and Culture of Mouse Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages Protocol]