In Vitro Angiogenesis Assays

Rapidly growing tumors require a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. To do so, the tumor must promote the formation of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. In vitro angiogenes is measured using tube formation by primary endothelial cells (typically primary HUVEC) cells. Matrices that either promote angiogenesis (e.g. Matrigel) or are permissive for angiogenesis (e.g. collagen gels) are utilized to assess the effect of test agents on angiogenesis. The propensity to form tubes (i.e. In vitro vessels) in this format is evaluated using microscopy. Images are capture and analyzed for tube length as well as the number of cellular nodes within the tubular network.