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The Corneal Micropocket Assay: A Model of Angiogenesis in the Mouse Eye
Published on: August 16, 2014
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The corneal pocket assay.
Marina Ziche1, Lucia Morbidelli
1Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy, ziche@unisi.it.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|December 4, 2014
Summary
This study details an avascular cornea assay for measuring new blood vessel growth, crucial for evaluating drugs that affect angiogenesis. The method allows continuous monitoring in the same animal, aiding in the development of novel therapeutics.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Angiogenesis research
- Drug discovery
Background:
- The cornea is physiologically avascular in most species.
- Neovascularization (NV) is the formation of new blood vessels.
- Assessing NV is critical for understanding ocular diseases and developing treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe an avascular cornea assay for quantifying neovascular growth.
- To evaluate drugs that modulate angiogenesis.
- To discuss the technical aspects and species-specific considerations of the assay.
Main Methods:
- A micropocket is created in the cornea under anesthesia.
- An angiogenesis stimulus (e.g., tumor tissue, growth factor) is implanted.
- Neovascular development is monitored continuously in the same animal.
- Local drug treatments and tissue sampling for histology and pharmacokinetics are performed.
Main Results:
- The assay allows for the measurement of newly formed vessels in the cornea.
- Neovascular development can be modulated by local or systemic treatments.
- The experimental details, challenges, and species-specific advantages/disadvantages are discussed.
Conclusions:
- The avascular cornea assay is a valuable tool for studying angiogenesis.
- This method facilitates the evaluation of angiogenesis suppressors and stimulators.
- The assay supports research in drug development for ocular neovascular diseases.
