Imaging Tumor Angiogenesis with Fluorescent Proteins

The document reviewed the development of three mouse models for imaging tumor angiogenesis using fluorescent proteins. The first model adapted the surgical orthotopic implantation (SOI) technique to visualize angiogenesis in GFP-labeled human tumors in nude mice, showing increased blood vessel density over time. The second model used dual-color fluorescence imaging with RFP-expressing tumors in GFP-expressing transgenic mice, allowing detailed visualization of tumor-stroma interactions and angiogenesis. The third model involved nestin-GFP transgenic mice, which expressed GFP in specific areas, including hair follicle stem cells and skin blood vessels, enabling visualization of nascent vessels in skin tumors. These models demonstrated high resolution and sensitivity for real-time angiogenesis imaging.