Microvascular Endothelial Cells: Isolation, Identification, and Cultivation

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses isolation, identification, and cultivation of microvascular endothelial cells. The development of successful techniques for the isolation, identification, and culture of large-vessel endothelium has paved the way for the extension of these methods to microvascular endothelial cells. In isolation and culture of retinal microvessel endothelial cells, bovine eyes are obtained from a local slaughterhouse and transported to the laboratory on ice. The culture of heart microvessel endothelial cells has provided an important tool as to the role of the vascular endothelium of cardiac muscle in a number of physiologic and pathophysiologic functions, including prostaglandin synthesis. One of the major difficulties in the isolation and culture of microvascular endothelial cells is the identification of the putative endothelial cells.