Angiogenesis Analyzer for ImageJ — A comparative morphometric analysis of “Endothelial Tube Formation Assay” and “Fibrin Bead Assay”

Angiogenesis assays based on in vitro capillary-like growth of endothelial cells (EC) are widely used, either to evaluate the effect of anti- and pro-angiogenesis drugs of interest, or to test and compare the functional capacities of various types of EC and progenitor cells. Among the different methods applied to study angiogenesis, the most commonly used is the "Endothelial Tube Formation Assay" (ETFA). In suitable culture conditions, EC form two-dimensional (2D) branched structures that can lead to a meshed pseudo-capillary network. An alternative approach to ETFA is the "Fibrin Bead Assay" (FBA), based on the use of Cytodex 3 microspheres, which promote the growth of 3D capillary-like patterns from coated…