Primary Culture of Bovine Capillary Endothelial Cells for In Vitro Angiogenesis Assay

In this study, we cultured bovine capillary endothelial cells from adrenal cortex and compared these cells with capillary endothelial cells obtained from bovine adrenal medulla on morphological and cytokinetic properties. We demonstrated that bFGF and gelatin matrix were required for the growth of adrenal cortex-derived capillary endothelial cells over middle passage, but not for the growth of adrenal medulla-derived capillary endothelial cells. Also, we showed that the growth of adrenal cortex-derived capillary endothelial cells must be stimulated by bFGF and the gelatin matrix for the measurement of in vitro angiostatin activity. These data indicate that adrenal cortex-derived capillary endothelial cells over middle passage are more suitable than adrenal medulla-derived capillary endothelial cells for in vitro angiogenesis assay.