Primary culture of microvascular endothelial cells from canine meniscus

Microvascular endothelial cells were isolated and cloned from canine knee menisci. Initially, the endothelial cell colonies in culture exhibited a cobblestone morphology. With passage and time, these cultures adopted a fibroblastic or fusiform morphology. The endothelial nature of the cells was demonstrated by positive immunostaining with antibodies to von Willebrand factor, laminin, and type-IV collagen and by capillary-like tube formation on Matrigel. These endothelial cells could be passaged as many as 10 times with retention of the endothelial characteristics. This population of meniscal microvascular endothelial cells will facilitate studies on the role of blood vessels in meniscal repair.