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Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating Angiogenesis and Vessel Permeability Through a Modified Matrix Gel Plug Assay
Published on: June 30, 2023
Matrigel Plug Assay for In Vivo Evaluation of Angiogenesis
Pinelopi Kastana1, Fatema Tuz Zahra2, Despoina Ntenekou1
1Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
Abstract:
Matrigel is extracted from the Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) mouse sarcoma in C57BL/6 mice, a tumor rich in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. It consists mainly of laminin (approximately 60%), collagen IV (approximately 30%), and nidogen-1/entactin (approximately 8%), while it also contains heparan sulfate proteoglycans, such as perlecan, other ECM proteins, as well as growth factors bound to the ECM. Matrigel mimics the physiological cell matrix and is the most commonly used matrix substrate to study in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis. Here, we describe the in vivo Matrigel plug assay and how it can be used for both qualitative and quantitative assessment of angiogenesis.
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