Matrigel: a useful tool to study endothelial differentiation.

Matrigel is a matrix of a mouse basement membrane neoplasm. It represents a complex mixture of basement membrane proteins including laminin, type IV collagen, entactin/nitrogen and proteoheparan sulfate, but it also contains growth factors. Matrigel induces endothelial cells to differentiate as evidenced by both the morphologic changes and by the reduction in proliferation and, therefore, offers a convenient model to study biochemical and molecular events associated with angiogenesis. Further, Matrigel permits to study the roles of the extracellular matrix in angiogenesis.