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METHODS article

Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1421946

Isolation-Protocol, Characterization, and In-vitro Performance of Equine Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Provisionally accepted
Ulrike Lessiak Ulrike Lessiak *Maria Melchert Maria Melchert Ingrid Walter Ingrid Walter Stefan Kummer Stefan Kummer Barbara Nell Barbara Nell Waltraud Tschulenk Waltraud Tschulenk Barbara Pratscher Barbara Pratscher
  • University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in various physiological and pathological conditions. However, research in equine angiogenesis is relative limited, necessitating the development of suitable in-vitro models. To effectively analyze angiogenesis in-vitro, it is essential to target the specific cells responsible for this process, namely endothelial cells. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are one of the most used in vitro models for studying angiogenesis in humans. Serving as an equivalent to HUVECs, we present a comprehensive isolation protocol for equine umbilical vein endothelial cells (EqUVECs) with relatively minimal requirements, thereby enhancing accessibility for researchers. Umbilical cords obtained from five foals were used to isolate endothelial cells, followed by morphological and immunohistochemical identification. Performance of the cells in various assays commonly used in angiogenesis research was studied. Additionally, EqUVEC expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was assessed using ELISA. EqUVECs exhibited endothelial characteristics, forming a homogeneous monolayer with distinctive morphology. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed positive expression of key endothelial markers including von Willebrand factor (vWF), CD31, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). Furthermore, performance assessments in in-vitro assays demonstrated the viability, proliferation, migration, tube formation and VEGF-expression capabilities of EqUVECs. The findings suggest that EqUVECs are a promising in-vitro model for studying equine angiogenesis, offering a foundation for further investigations into equine-specific vascular processes and therapeutic interventions.

    Keywords: EqUVEC, Angiogenesis, Equine endothelial cells, immunohistology, TEM, cell culture

    Received: 23 Apr 2024; Accepted: 12 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Lessiak, Melchert, Walter, Kummer, Nell, Tschulenk and Pratscher. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Ulrike Lessiak, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.