ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS FROM RAT AND COW BRAIN WHITE MATTER

Google Scholar
  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 129  (SEP) , 261-272
Abstract
In the mammalian brain, large blood vessels are almost entirely limited to the gray matter, and the blood supply to the white matter is mainly via capillaries. Normal nerve and glial cells from adult animals rarely grow in short-term cultures. The white matter should be a unique source of endothelial cells and this was accomplished by obtaining homogeneous cultures which were free of fibroblastoid and glial elements. The morphology of the confluent cultures was studied by both light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Autoradiographic scintillation counting, immunological and histological studies were also performed to confirm their endothelial nature. The availability of pure cultures of capillary endothelial cells should greatly facilitate the study of angiogenic factors such as tumor angiogenesis factor.