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3D Image Analysis of the Microvasculature in Healthy and Diseased Tissues

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Proteases and Cancer

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1731))

Abstract

The vasculature ensures optimal delivery of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. The ability to respond to changing tissue demands requires constant reshaping of the vascular network through modulation of its density, diameter, or patterning. These processes are especially prominent after tissue damage or in tumors. The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of endopeptidases are key contributors to vascular remodeling, able to cleave all extracellular matrix components and also soluble factors and membrane receptors. Observations recorded over several decades have established that the vasculature changes in pathological contexts, and this has formed the basis for developing angiotherapies as a novel approach to treating disease. For example, inhibition of angiogenesis or normalization of the vasculature has been proposed as treatment for cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. In contrast, boosting angiogenesis may be helpful in ischemic conditions such as myocardial infarction and in regenerative medicine. Classical histological methods for the analysis of tissue vasculature have relied on thin sections that do not capture the complex 3D structure of the vascular network. Given the importance of understanding disease-associated vascular changes for the development of rational angiotherapeutic interventions, we present a protocol for thick section-based 3D image analysis of vasculature structure and function.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Simon Bartlett for English editing. This work was supported by grant SAF2014-52050R from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. A.S-E. is funded by a fellowship from Obra Social “La Caixa.” The CNIC is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness and the Pro-CNIC Foundation and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Matrix Metalloproteinases in Angiogenesis and Inflammation Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain

    Álvaro Sahún-Español, Cristina Clemente & Alicia G. Arroyo

Authors
  1. Álvaro Sahún-Español
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  2. Cristina Clemente
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  3. Alicia G. Arroyo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alicia G. Arroyo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Universitario de Oncología (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain

    Santiago Cal

  2. Instituto Universitario de Oncología (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain

    Alvaro J. Obaya

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Sahún-Español, Á., Clemente, C., Arroyo, A.G. (2018). 3D Image Analysis of the Microvasculature in Healthy and Diseased Tissues. In: Cal, S., Obaya, A. (eds) Proteases and Cancer. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1731. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7595-2_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7595-2_18

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7594-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7595-2

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