Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Vascular Morphogenesis pp 255–264Cite as

The Rat Aortic Ring Model of Angiogenesis

  • Protocol
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1214))

Abstract

Protocols outlined in this chapter illustrate how to prepare and analyze angiogenic cultures of rat aorta. Aortic rings embedded in gels of extracellular matrix generate vascular outgrowths that can easily be monitored over time with inverted microscopy. The angiogenic response can be measured by counting vessels or with image analysis. Aortic ring cultures can be used to investigate molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis and test the efficacy of stimulators and inhibitors of the angiogenic process. As such this assay is an invaluable tool for both basic and applied angiogenesis research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Protocol
USD   49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Springer Nature is developing a new tool to find and evaluate Protocols. Learn more

References

  1. Nicosia RF, Ottinetti A (1990) Growth of microvessels in serum-free matrix culture of rat aorta. A quantitative assay of angiogenesis in vitro. Lab Invest 63:115–122

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Aplin AC, Fogel E, Zorzi P, Nicosia RF (2008) The aortic ring model of angiogenesis. Methods Enzymol 443:119–136

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Nicosia RF, Ligresti G, Aplin AC (2012) Preparation and analysis of aortic ring cultures for the study of angiogenesis ex vivo. In: Zudaire E, Cuttitta F (eds) The textbook of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis: methods and applications. Springer, New York, pp 127–148

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. Nicosia RF, Villaschi S (1995) Rat aortic smooth muscle cells become pericytes during angiogenesis in vitro. Lab Invest 73:658–666

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Gelati M, Aplin AC, Fogel E, Smith KD, Nicosia RF (2008) The angiogenic response of the aorta to injury and inflammatory cytokines requires macrophages. J Immunol 181:5711–5719

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Howson KM, Aplin AC, Gelati M, Alessandri G, Parati EA, Nicosia RF (2005) The postnatal rat aorta contains pericyte progenitor cells that form spheroidal colonies in suspension culture. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 289:C1396–C1407

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Villaschi S, Nicosia RF (1994) Paracrine interactions between fibroblasts and endothelial cells in a serum-free coculture model. Modulation of angiogenesis and collagen gel contraction. Lab Invest 71:291–299

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Nicosia RF (2009) The aortic ring model of angiogenesis: a quarter century of search and discovery. J Cell Mol Med 13:4113–4136

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Garcia-Cardena G, Comander J, Anderson KR, Blackman BR, Gimbrone MA Jr (2001) Biomechanical activation of vascular endothelium as a determinant of its functional phenotype. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 98:4478–4485

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Zhu WH, Guo X, Villaschi S, Francesco NR (2000) Regulation of vascular growth and regression by matrix metalloproteinases in the rat aorta model of angiogenesis. Lab Invest 80:545–555

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Aplin AC, Zhu WH, Fogel E, Nicosia RF (2009) Vascular regression and survival are differentially regulated by MT1-MMP and TIMPs in the aortic ring model of angiogenesis. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 297:C471–C480

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Nissanov J, Tuman RW, Gruver LM, Fortunato JM (1995) Automatic vessel segmentation and quantification of the rat aortic ring assay of angiogenesis. Lab Invest 73:734–739

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Blacher S, Devy L, Burbridge MF, Roland G, Tucker G, Noel A et al (2001) Improved quantification of angiogenesis in the rat aortic ring assay. Angiogenesis 4:133–142

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Blatt RJ, Clark AN, Courtney J, Tully C, Tucker AL (2004) Automated quantitative analysis of angiogenesis in the rat aorta model using Image-Pro Plus 4.1. Comput Methods Programs Biomed 75:75–79

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Malinda KM, Nomizu M, Chung M, Delgado M, Kuratomi Y, Yamada Y et al (1999) Identification of laminin alpha1 and beta1 chain peptides active for endothelial cell adhesion, tube formation, and aortic sprouting. FASEB J 13:53–62

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Boscolo E, Folin M, Nico B, Grandi C, Mangieri D, Longo V et al (2007) Beta amyloid angiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo. Int J Mol Med 19:581–587

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Supported by the Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs (RFN).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Alfred C. Aplin & Roberto F. Nicosia M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (S-113), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA

    Roberto F. Nicosia M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Alfred C. Aplin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Roberto F. Nicosia M.D., Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roberto F. Nicosia M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

    Domenico Ribatti

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Aplin, A.C., Nicosia, R.F. (2015). The Rat Aortic Ring Model of Angiogenesis. In: Ribatti, D. (eds) Vascular Morphogenesis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1214. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1462-3_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1462-3_16

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1461-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1462-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation