Chemical approaches to angiogenesis in development and regeneration

Vascular endothelial cells are essential building blocks of angiogenesis, which is required for normal embryonic development and tissue regeneration. In this chapter, we describe how to use transgenic zebrafish embryos expressing vascular-specific green fluorescent protein to evaluate differentiation, growth, and morphogenesis of endothelial cells. When combined with instrument automation and computational analysis, this method allows high-throughput screening for biologically active small chemical molecules that are effective in promoting angiogenesis. These molecules can be validated in mammalian endothelial cell differentiation and proliferation assays. These studies provide new reagents and therapeutic candidates for regenerative medicine studies.