Effects of Fluid Shear Stress on Endothelial Cell Invasion Into Three-Dimensional Matrices

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing structures, is a key step in development, wound healing and pathological events (1). ECs in the vascular system must continually sense and respond to both biochemical and mechanical stimuli to appropriately initiate angiogenesis. Therefore, studying the combined influences of fluid wall shear stress (WSS) and pro-angiogenic biochemical factors on ECs on 3D matrices is critical to precisely define the signals that initiate sprouting angiogenesis, where normally quiescent ECs must transition into an invading phenotype. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a potent pro-angiogenic factor that we previously reported to be critical for EC invasion (2).