Angiogenic response induced by acellular femoral matrix in vivo

Abstract

We investigated the angiogenic response induced by acellular femoral matrices implanted in vivo on to the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), a useful model for such investigation. The results showed that acellular matrices were able to induce a strong angiogenic response, comparable with that of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), a well-known angiogenic cytokine. The angiogenic response was further increased when exogenous FGF-2 or transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) was added to the matrices and inhibited by the addition of anti-FGF-2 or anti-TGF-β1 antibodies. The response may be considered to be dependent on a direct angiogenic effect exerted by the matrices, and also in part by the presence of FGF-2 and TGF-β1 in the acellular matrices. © Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2005.