Angiogenesis in the brain during development: the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2 in an animal model

Document Type

Article

Abstract

OBJECT: The goal of this study was to examine the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in the formation of blood vessels in the brain in a developmental animal model not routinely used for such a study. METHODS: Either VEGF, Ang-2, or a combination of the two factors were injected into the optic tectum of 4-day-old quail embryos. Immunohistochemical analysis and laser confocal microscopy were used to observe the effects on endothelial cells in the brain. Vascular endothelial growth factor and Ang-2 had very different effects on the development of blood vessels; the former caused expansion and the latter retraction of these vessels. Treatment with a combination of VEGF and Ang-2 caused retroorbital or intraventricular hemorrhage, and brain blood vessels appeared enlarged and dysmorphic, with dramatically extended filopodia. CONCLUSIONS: Some of these observations may provide insight into how one may develop a better model of brain arteriovenous malformations.

Medical Subject Headings

Angiopoietin-2 (physiology); Animals; Brain (blood supply, embryology); Coturnix; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Endothelial Cells (physiology); Models, Animal; Neovascularization, Physiologic; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (physiology)

Publication Date

8-27-2005

Publication Title

Journal of neurosurgery

ISSN

0022-3085

Volume

103

Issue

1

First Page

136

Last Page

45

PubMed ID

16121984

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3171/jns.2005.103.1.0136

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