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. 2017 Aug 1;15(6):267–279. doi: 10.1089/adt.2017.786

Table 2.

Angiogenesis Assay Using Hydrogel in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell–Endothelial Cells and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Step Parameter Value Description
1 Dispense hydrogel 3 μL 4°C
2 Centrifugation 30 s 200 g for 30 s
3 UV polymerization 8 min 302 nm; 2 × 15 W bulbs; 9 cm
4 Dispense PBS 20 μL Sterile
5 Incubation time 24 h 37°C, 5% CO2
6 Serum starve cells 24 h Basal media w/0.5% FBS
7 Wash hydrogel 20 μL Sterile PBS
8 Equilibrate hydrogel 20 μL Starvation media
9 Incubate hydrogel 30 min 37°C, 5% CO2
10 Wash hydrogel 20 μL Sterile PBS
11 Cells stained 2 mL CellMask Green
12 Library compounds 10 μL 2 × concentration stock
13 Plate cells 10 μL 3.5 × 103
iCell endothelial cells
6.125 × 103
HUVECs
14 Incubation time 24 h 37°C, 5% CO2
15 Dispense fixation solution 6 μL 16% formaldehyde in water
16 Acquire images 4 × Objective With FITC filter

Step Notes

1. Plate: 384-well Small Volume™, LoBase, PS, μclear, black, TC plates. Dispense SP-105 hydrogel on ice.

6. Serum starvation is only needed with the iCell endothelial cells.

9. Treatment of hydrogel is only needed with the iCell endothelial cells.

7, 10. For washing of the hydrogel, dispense 15 μL of sterile PBS to each well resulting in a meniscus above the well. Flip the plate over onto a sponge cloth and add weight to apply pressure then incubate for 1 min. Additional tapping may be required for removal of liquid in the well. Add 20 μL of sterile PBS and repeat washing.

8. Starvation media: Basal media with 0.5% FBS and 25 ng/mL VEGF.

11. For staining of the cells, cells were counted and desired number of cells transferred to a centrifuge tube. The cell suspension was centrifuged at 200 g for 5 min. Supernatant was discarded. The cell pellet was resuspended in 2 mL of FluoroBrite DMEM with 1:1,000 CellMask Green dye. Cells were incubated for 10 min at 37°C, 5% CO2. Following incubation, 12 mL of FluoroBrite DMEM was added to cell suspension and spun at 200 g for 5 min. The resulting cell pellet was resuspended in 2 × assay media.

 For iCell endothelial cell 2 × assay media: VascuLife Basal Medium with 10 ng/mL FGF, 100 μg/mL ascorbic acid, 2 μg/mL hydrocortisone hemisuccinate, 8 mM l-glutamine, 30 ng/mL IGF-1, 10 ng/mL EGF, 10 ng/mL VEGF, 1.5 U/mL heparin sulfate, and 20% iCell endothelial cells media supplement.

 For HUVEC 2 × assay media: Medium 199 containing the EGM™-2 BulletKits™ at 2 × concentration, also the VEGF component was replaced with 12.5 ng/mL VEGF from R&D Systems.

13. Final DMSO concentration on assay plate: 0.5%.

16. ImageXpress was used for image acquisition.

 FBS, fetal bovine serum; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline.