Histopathology and clinical assessment correlate with the cysteine-serine-valinethreonine- cysteine-glycine (CSVTCG) receptor of thrombospondin-1 in breast tumors

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a matrix protein implicated in mechanisms of tumor metastasis. TSP-1 has a characteristic Cysteine-Serine-Valine- Threonine-Cysteine-Glycine (CSVTCG) sequence that functions as a tumor cell adhesion domain. Our laboratory has isolated a novel CSVTCG specific tumor cell receptor. Immunohistochemical staining techniques and computerized image analysis were used to identify and quantitate the CSVTCG receptor of TSP-1 in a wide spectrum of human archiva1 breast tumors. Histopathologic and quantitative examination was correlated with clinical findings two years post operation. Increasing amounts of CSVTCG receptor correlated positively with worsening histopathologic and clinical findings. These findings suggest a role for the TSP-1 CSVTCG receptor in breast tumor progression. This receptor may have utility for the diagnosis, staging, and treatrnent of this common and deadly disease

Geometrically Controlled Endothelial Tubulogenesis in Micropatterned Gels

We present a novel approach to control endothelial tubulogenesis by spatially patterning cells within micromolded collagen gels. Endothelial cells cultured within microscale channels that were filled with collagen gel organized into tubes with lumens within 24–48 h of seeding. These tubes extended up to 1 cm in length, and exhibited cell–cell junction formation characteristic of early stage capillary vessels. Tube diameter could be controlled by varying collagen concentrations or channel width. The geometry of the microfabricated template also could be used to guide the development of branches during tube formation, allowing for the generation of more complex capillary architectures. Time-lapse imaging of tube formation revealed a highly dynamic process involving coalescence of endothelial cells, reorganization and alignment of collagen fibers into a central core, and arrangement of cells into cords. This platform may be of use to generate geometrically defined vascular networks for tissue engineering applications as well as a means to better understand the process of endothelial tubulogenesis