Quantitation of angiogenesis and antiangiogenesis in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane.

A novel method for quantitating angiogenesis and its inhibition has been developed for the chick embryo. The method is based on the vertical growth of new capillary blood vessels into a collagen gel through two parallel nylon meshes which align the capillaries for counting. Angiogenesis is induced by basic fibroblast growth factor contained within the gel and slowly released by aluminum sucrose octasulfate (sucralfate) or by tumor cells implanted on the gel. The potency of four different angiogenesis inhibitors was compared at concentrations of 0.6 to 600 nmole. This technique may facilitate the discovery and development of angiogenesis inhibitors for clinical application.