Figure 2.

Msx1 inhibits vessel sprouting ex vivo and in vivo angiogenesis. (a) Cross-sections of a mouse tibialis anterior muscle injected with pVEGF165 or pCB6 Msx1 plasmid by electroporation were embedded in growth factor-reduced Matrigel. An outgrowth of capillary-like structures was observed with an inverted microscope. (b) The outgrowth was quantitated by measuring the area of capillary-like structures. (c) Ad-Msx1 inhibits angiogenesis in vivo. Ten-day-old chicken chorioallantoic membranes (CAMs) were treated with lysates obtained from cells infected with either Ad-β-gal or Ad-Msx1 virus. After 72 h, CAMs were harvested, and vascular density was assessed by microscopy. (d) Angiogenesis was quantitated by counting the number of branch points arising from the pre-existing vessels. Results were from three independent experiments. ** p < 0.01 indicates a significant difference.