A Comprehensive Look at In Vitro Angiogenesis Image Analysis Software

Abstract

One of the complex challenges faced presently by tissue engineering (TE) is the development of vascularized constructs that accurately mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) of native tissue in which they are inserted to promote vessel growth and, consequently, wound healing and tissue regeneration. TE technique is characterized by several stages, starting from the choice of cell culture and the more appropriate scaffold material that can adequately support and supply them with the necessary biological cues for microvessel development. The next step is to analyze the attained microvasculature, which is reliant on the available labeling and microscopy techniques to visualize the network, as well as metrics employed to characterize it. These are usually attained with the use of software, which has been cited in several works, although no clear standard procedure has been observed to promote the reproduction of the cell response analysis. The present review analyzes not only the various steps previously described in terms of the current standards for evaluation, but also surveys some of the available metrics and software used to quantify networks, along with the detection of analysis limitations and future improvements that could lead to considerable progress for angiogenesis evaluation and application in TE research.

An Overview on the Big Players in Bone Tissue Engineering: Biomaterials, Scaffolds and Cells

“…In addition to cells and growth factors, another crucial factor influencing scaffold performance is vascularization. Inadequate or insufficient vascularization can lead to impaired cell differentiation or death due to a lack of nutrients and oxygen [157]. Various methods have been developed to enhance and expedite the formation of new blood vessels, including the following: (i) increasing the size and interconnection of pores using the new scaffold production techniques mentioned earlier; (ii) incorporating angiogenic growth factors into the scaffolds; (iii) including angiogenic growth factors in in vitro cultured cells, which have been genetically modified, leading to the simultaneous release of osteogenic and angiogenic factors.…”