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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
The Corneal Micropocket Assay: A Model of Angiogenesis in the Mouse Eye
Published on: August 16, 2014
Impaired angiogenic response in the corneas of mice lacking osteopontin
Norihito Fujita1, Shuko Fujita, Yuka Okada
1Department of Ophthalmology, Wakayama Medical University, Kimiidera, Wakayama, Japan. norihito@wakayama-med.ac.jp
Purpose:
To investigate the effects of loss of osteopontin (OPN) in the development of neovascularization in corneal stroma in mice. Cell culture study was also conducted to clarify the effects of OPN in transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1-driven cell signaling and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Methods:
Ocular fibroblasts from wild-type and OPN-null mice were used to study the role of OPN in TGFbeta1 signal and VEGF expression. The effect of the absence of OPN on corneal neovascularization was evaluated in mice.
Results:
In ocular fibroblast culture, loss of OPN attenuated TGFbeta1 signals (Smad3 and p38) and reduced expression of VEGF. Loss of OPN attenuated neovascularization in corneal stroma in mice.
Conclusions:
OPN is involved in VEGF expression in cultured fibroblasts and is required for neovascularization in corneal stroma in vivo.
