Effect of hypoxia on proliferation of microvascular endothelial cells derived from Mongolian gerbil brain

This study investigated the effect of hypoxia on the proliferation of microvascular endothelial cells in the brain. Endothelial cells derived from microvessels of Mongolian gerbil brain and control cells (3T3) were incubated for 7 days under various hypoxic and normoxic conditions at 37 degrees C. The proliferation of endothelial cells was inhibited by severe hypoxia, but stimulated by moderate hypoxia. No significant effect of hypoxia on the proliferation of control cells was observed. Endothelial cell-conditioned medium cultured under moderate hypoxia did not affect the growth of endothelial cells. The stimulatory effect of moderate hypoxia on the proliferation of cultured endothelial cells is due to an inherent property of brain endothelial cells.