Rabbit cornea assay of angiogenesis: methodology and evaluation

The rabbit cornea angiogenesis assay has been used extensively to determine the capacity of cells, tissues, growth factors, and a variety of other compounds to stimulate the formation of capillaries. Improper use of the assay coupled with lack of thorough evaluation has generated disparate, perplexing, and even erroneous results. The objective of this article is to review the corneal angiogenesis assay, paying close attention to specific techniques, modes of evaluation, and considerations that investigators need to make before drawing any conclusions.