Visualization of mouse embryo angiogenesis by fluorescence-based staining.

The establishment of a blood vessel network is fundamental to embryonic development and plays a critical role in many diseases including coronary heart disease and cancer. Vascular endothelial cells are central players in blood vessel formation and line the inside of the entire blood vessel system. PECAM-1 is expressed in all types of endothelial cells and is therefore a useful marker for the detection of blood vessels. In this manuscript, we describe PECAM-1 staining in whole-mount and sectioned tissues in mouse embryos.