Three-dimensional model of angiogenesis: Coculture of human retinal cells with bovine aortic endothelial cells in the NASA bioreactor

Ocular angiogenesis is the leading cause of blindness and is associated with diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. We describe, in this report, our preliminary studies using a horizontally rotating bioreactor (HRB), developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to explore growth and differentiation-associated events in the early phase of ocular angiogenesis. Human retinal (HRet) cells and bovine endothelial cells (ECs) were cocultured on laminin-coated Cytodex-3 microcarrier beads in an HRB; for 1-36 days. Endothelial cells grown alone in the HRB remained cuboidal and were well differentiated. However, when HRet cells were cocultured with ECs, cordlike structures formed as early as 18-36 h and were positive for von Willebrand factor. In addition to the formation of cords and capillary-like structures, ECs showed the beginning of sprouts. The HRB seems not only to promote accelerated capillary formation, but also to enhance differentiation of retinal precursor cells. This leads to the formation of rosette-like structures (which may be aggregates of photoreceptors that were positive for rhodopsin). Upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor was seen in retinal cells grown in the HRB as compared with monolayers and could be one of the factors responsible for accelerated capillary formation. Hence, the HRB promotes three-dimensional assembly and differentiation, possibly through promoting cell-to-cell interaction and/or secretion of growth and differentiation factors.