Angiopoietin-like 7 is an anti-angiogenic protein required to prevent vascularization of the cornea.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

We sought to identify the anti-angiogenic molecule expressed in corneal keratocytes that is responsible for maintaining the avascularity of the cornea.

Methods

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured with either human dermal fibroblasts or with human corneal keratocytes under serum-free conditions. The areas that exhibited blood vessel formation were estimated by immunostaining the cultures with an antitibody against CD31, a blood vessel marker. We also performed microarray gene-expression analysis and selected one molecule, angiopoietin-like 7 (ANGPTL7) for further functional studies conducted with the keratocytes and in vivo in mice.

Results

Areas showing blood vessel formation in normal serum-free medium were conditions were markedly s

SUBMITTER: Toyono T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4306551 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature