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The Corneal Pocket Assay

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Angiogenesis Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 467))

Abstract

Continuous monitoring of neovascular growth in vivo is required for the development and evaluation of drugs acting as suppressors or stimulators of angiogenesis. The cornea assay consists of the placement of an angiogenesis stimulus (tumor tissue, cell suspension, growth factor) into a micropocket produced in the cornea thickness to evoke vascular outgrowth from the peripherally located limbal vasculature. Neovascular development and progression can be modified by the presence of locally released or applied inhibitory factors or by systemically given antiangiogenic drugs. This assay has the advantage over other in vivo assays of measuring new blood vessels only since the cornea is initially avascular. The experimental details of the avascular cornea assay and its advantages and disadvantages in different species are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Raffaella Solito for technical assistance. The work was supported by the Italian Ministry of University (MIUR), the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC), and the University of Siena.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Chemotherapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

    Marina Ziche MD & Lucia Morbidelli PHD

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  1. Marina Ziche MD
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  2. Lucia Morbidelli PHD
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    © 2009 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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    Ziche, M., Morbidelli, L. (2009). The Corneal Pocket Assay. In: Murray, C., Martin, S. (eds) Angiogenesis Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 467. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-241-0_20

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-241-0_20

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    • Publisher Name: Humana Press

    • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-907-9

    • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-241-0

    • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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