spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

First published online May 14, 2007
doi: 10.1242/10.1242/jcs.003533

Journal of Cell Science 120, 1810-1817 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ramsauer, M.
Right arrow Articles by D'Amore, P. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ramsauer, M.
Right arrow Articles by D'Amore, P. A.

Research Article

Contextual role for angiopoietins and TGFbeta1 in blood vessel stabilization

Markus Ramsauer and Patricia A. D'Amore*

Schepens Eye Research Institute, Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA

* Author for correspondence (e-mail: patricia.damore{at}schepens.harvard.edu)

Accepted 27 March 2007

We used a 3D in-vitro model of angiogenesis to investigate the effects of different growth factors on vessel formation and stabilization in vitro. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was the only factor that induced the formation, elongation and sprouting of capillary-like structures (CLS) by bovine retinal capillary endothelial cells (BREC), an effect that was dose-dependent and saturable. Basic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) enhanced capillary formation in the presence of VEGF, leading to a more complex network of CLS and a higher rate of BrdU incorporation than VEGF alone, indicating that whereas VEGF acts as a morphogen, FGF2 is primarily a mitogen. Addition of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) to the 3D assay along with VEGF and FGF2, reduced tube formation in a dose-dependent manner. When added at the time of cell plating TGFbeta1 completely suppressed formation of VEGF/FGF2-stimulated CLS. Angiopoietin 1 (Ang1) prevented regression of the TGFbeta1-induced CLS, an effect that was blocked by angiopoietin 2 (Ang2), but required the continuous presence of VEGF.

Key words: Angiogenesis, VEGF, Angiopoietin, Remodeling






© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2007